A King's Ship (Empire Rising Book 2) (26 page)

As she watched they spread out in twos and began to comb the landing zone. One pair was heading directly towards her. Carefully, she sighted her plasma rifle on the first of the aliens. Taking a deep breath, she then exhaled, slowly letting out half of the breath. As she paused she zeroed in her sights on the center of the alien’s torso before pulling the trigger twice. Without even waiting to see the two plasma bolts strike, she redirected her aim and fired two more bolts. This time she watched the alien go down before she ducked behind cover. The others would know her position; it was time to move.

She got up and sprinted to her left at an angle away from the group of aliens. When she was confident she was far enough away, she found a good firing spot and settled in to wait. Sure enough, thirty seconds later two more aliens appeared, carefully moving to flank her previous position.

Before she opened fire on them she checked the timer on her combat armor. The shuttles would be returning in thirty seconds. That would give her an opening. Slowly, she counted to twenty and then opened fire. This time her first shot missed but she adjusted her aim and took the first alien out with her second shot. Her miss had given the second alien time though and he managed to bring up his weapon and open fire. A small explosion erupted beside her as a part of the metal crate she had been using for cover exploded into hundreds of small balls of molten metal. “X-ray lasers,” she cursed as she ducked away from the alien’s fire.

She was just in time as another explosion erupted where she had been standing. Taking a risk, she charged out from behind the other side of the crate, firing from the hip as she went. Her move and speed caught the alien by surprise and he wasn’t able to bring his bulky weapon to bear on Becket before her plasma bolts knocked him down.

Without pausing, she charged in the direction the two aliens had come from. The last two would be either where she had initially seen them keeping an eye on her original position while their friends tried to flank her, or trying to flank her from the opposite side. Either way her route would take her behind them.

Right on time she heard the whine of the shuttles’ engines and she looked up to see both of them coming in to land. If she could see them that meant the aliens could see them. Sure enough, there were two small explosions on one of the shuttle’s hulls. It veered off, trying to avoid any more hits.

The distraction of the shuttles’ appearance gave Becket the time and element of surprise she needed. As she rounded another set of crates she spotted the last two aliens. Both of them had their backs to her and their weapons raised, trying to track the shuttles. Skidding to a halt to get better aim Becket lifted her rifle and quickly dispatched both of them.

“Landing zone is clear,” she said over the COM channel to the shuttle pilots.

“Thanks Lieutenant,” one of the pilots said. “That was some impressive shooting.”

Ignoring the praise Becket switched COM channels and spoke to Johnston, “Ferguson and his men have arrived, have you located the central computer yet Major?”

“Yes, send Ferguson and his men to my position, Lieutenant Jeffers and the rest of the marines are already on their way here. His position turned out to be a storage area.”

“Acknowledged,” Becket replied before turning and seeking out Ferguson amongst the rabble of crew members who were disembarking from the two shuttles. Becket was glad Johnston wasn’t here. He would have had a fit at the unordered way the navy personnel were forming up.

Finally, she spotted Ferguson and made her way over to his position, “The central computer is at position alpha. Johnston is waiting for you there. I’ll keep my team here and we will hold the landing zone in case any more aliens show up.”

“Ok Lieutenant,” Ferguson said, “I’ll take the rest of the marines with me.”

“They’re all yours,” Becket said, knowing Ferguson would need them more than her. There were six marines with the second wave of boarders who hadn’t fit into the first wave. They were currently standing off to one side of the rabble that was
Endeavour’s
crew, carefully scanning the perimeter.

“Marines,” Becket shouted over to them, knowing they would find taking orders from her easier than from Ferguson. “The First Lieutenant is taking the tech guys to position alpha to meet up with Major Johnston, you six take point. See that they all get there safely.”

“Yes Sir,” Sergeant Harkin responded with a marine salute. “That was some fine shooting mam.”

“Thank you,” Becket said, secretly pleased as she knew Harkin’s praise was much harder to come by.

*

“Sir, I’m picking up some energy fluctuations from one of the nearby asteroids,” Sub Lieutenant Malik called from the sensor station on
Endeavour’s
bridge. “Wait, there is a large door opening on the asteroid. I think it is one of the asteroids where the Vestarians hid their fleet from the Kulrean satellite.

“Tell the landing party they are on their own. Instruct the shuttles to remain in the construction yard if it is safe in there,” James ordered. “Then take us into stealth and move us away from the construction yard.”

“I’m picking up two alien cruisers coming out of the second asteroid,” Malik reported. “They are firing multiple low powered bursts with their x-ray lasers.”

“Smart,” James said. “They can’t have a lock on us, yet one lucky hit and
Endeavour
will light up like one of Vestar’s stars on their thermal scanners. Then they will have us”

“Have you got a firing solution yet?” James asked Julius at the tactical station.

“Twenty seconds Captain,” Julius said without looking up from the screen she was working at.

“We’re hit,” Malik shouted.

“Evasive maneuvers now,” James ordered, “and bring our ECM to full power. Jackson, no need to stay hidden any longer, engage the nearest ship with the plasma cannons, hit them with everything you’ve got.”

James had been hoping to get off a spread of missiles before the aliens detected them. It would have allowed
Endeavour
to take out one or both without having to deal with their x-ray lasers. That wasn’t going to happen now. All three ships were within range of each other’s directed energy weapons and in those circumstances anything could happen. It had become a knife fight.

“Direct hit,” Jackson said. “Two bolts hit the second vessel, it looks like they took some serious damage. Both ships are going into evasive maneuvers.”

“The aliens have switched to full powered beams with their lasers, they have a lock on us,” Malik reported.

“Missiles away,” Julius shouted.

“Keep up the evasive maneuvers,” James began to order Jennings at the navigation station but he was cut off when the ship bucked and everyone on the bridge was thrown against their harnesses.

“We’ve taken a laser strike to our port bow,” Mallory reported over the COM from the auxiliary bridge a few seconds later.  “Sections three and four are venting atmosphere, no major damage reported.

“Thank you,” James said over the COM.

Even before he finished speaking Julius shouted over him. “Missile detonation, multiple hits!”

Everyone but the navigation officer, who was still throwing
Endeavour
into a series of evasive turns, watched the holo display. It took a few seconds for the feed to clear after the thermonuclear explosions but when it did everyone cheered. Both Vestarian ships were tumbling wrecks.

“Hold on,” Malik shouted over the cheering, “sensors are picking multiple incoming missiles. They got off a broadside before we hit them.”

“Take them out,” James shouted to Julius. He was relieved to hear the flak cannons automatically opening fire as the ships’ computer detected the incoming missiles and reacted before anyone on the bridge could.

“Point defense plasma cannons and AM missiles engaging now,” Julius shouted.

James watched the plot as it finally firmed up enough to show fourteen missiles incoming. The computer hadn’t had time to coordinate the shots from the flak cannons to maximize their effectiveness but they still took out five of the missiles. The range had been so close that even before the final flak cannon round exploded, green plasma bolts and explosions from the AM missiles were lighting up space around the incoming ship killer missiles. Nine quickly became four, then two and finally the last missile disappeared as an AM missile exploded right beside it.

“That was the last one,” Julius shouted in relief. “We’re safe.”

“Good work everyone,” James congratulated the bridge. “Let’s hope we don’t have to do that again any time soon,” he added to a few chuckles.

“Take us back to the construction yard,” James said to the navigation officer. “Sensors, keep an eye on the surrounding asteroids. Let me know immediately if it looks like another one might have a surprise for us,” he added.

“Yes Sir,” Malik replied.

Ever since the First Interstellar Expansion Era it has been a policy of the Empire that if any species attacks a human world, they will bring the full might of the Empire down on them.

-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD

2
nd
July, 2466 AD, HMS
Endeavour
, in orbit around Vestar

“The mission was a success,” James said through the COM channel to Agent Bell and Lieutenant Scott. They were sitting around a table in the Resistance base alongside Tak’ar, Mul’li’la and Jil’lal. With James in
Endeavour’s
main briefing room sat Ferguson, Mallory, Becket and Major Johnston.

“Jil’lal’s decryption program worked wonders,” James continued. “We managed to get our hands on some vital information. The Overlord’s fleet does consist of two hundred and twelve ships. Ninety four of those are of the design we have classed as cruisers and the rest are their smaller frigates. They left their hiding places just over two weeks ago and set course for the Kulrean homeworld Kulthar.

“Lady Luck was with us for we also managed to get our hands on their flight plan so we now know the shift passages that lead to Kulthar. Their flight plan indicates that they will reach their target in a little over a month. If we left right now we could be there in four weeks. My plan is to take
Endeavour
to Kulthar and warn the Kulreans about the impending attack. They may be pacifists but I’m sure in the face of extinction or enslavement they may reconsider their values.

“However, before we go I plan to confront the Overlord. The information we have gathered from the construction yard confirms that the ships that attacked Haven were built there and that the Overlord ordered the attack. I don’t plan to let him off lightly, he will learn that there are consequences for attacking a human world.

“That is why I have requested this meeting Tak’ar. I want to know how we can best hurt the Overlord and help your resistance.”

Tak’ar didn’t even have to think about his response. “With the truth Captain,” he said. “If our people can see the truth, about what the Overlord is really like and what he is up too, I know our numbers will swell.”

“And how do we get the truth out there?” James asked.

“That is something we have been working on for the last decade,” Mul’li’la answered. “We believe we have found a way to hack into the planetary communication systems and transmit a message to every home on the planet. All we have been waiting for is something that will be convincing enough to lead to a full scale rebellion.”

James slowly considered their various options. “We have images of the attack on Haven and recordings from the construction yard. Will they be enough to expose the Overlord?” he asked.

“They will help,” Tak’ar said, “but they won’t be enough. The Overlord can just dismiss them as fabrications or blame them on his subordinates. We need to expose him directly. I believe you need to confront him personally.”

“Right,” James said, “I’m not sure he will grant us another audience, not after we attacked his construction yard.”

“No,” Tak’ar agreed, “you will need to get his attention.”

“Hmm,” James said, “I think we can come up with a few ideas, let us put together a number of plans and we can run them past you.”

“That would be acceptable,” Tak’ar said.

“Assuming we can get the Overlord to speak to us, if we can stream the images to you, can you distribute them across your planet?” James asked.

“Yes, Mul’li’la answered, “we have the infrastructure in place. The Overlord’s men will be able to shut us out eventually but we will be able to make sure everyone who wants to see will be able to.”

“Very well,” James said. “What is our next move after that?”

“We need to take out as many of their military bases as possible, can your ship help us with that?” Tak’ar asked.

“We have already identified a number of targets we may be able to hit. We don’t want to risk hitting any of your population centers. If you can identify any more military targets that fit those parameters we can add them to our list,” James said.

“That will work,” Tak’ar said. “We already have resistance cells in place to neutralize a number of the main military bases in the big cities. If you can take out the outlying bases and supply depots it will give us a big advantage.

“Our main problem will be the Overlord himself. We can take out as many of his troops as we like but if he still lives and holds the capital, he can just churn out more troops.”

“Then we need to take the palace,” James said. “Do you have enough people on the ground for that?”

“No,” Tak’ar said bowing his head. “We have enough to launch an assault on the palace, especially if we can rally more to our cause. But I don’t think we can overcome the defenses. They are just too strong.”

“Captain, may I interject?” Mallory asked.

“Of course,” James answered.

“I have been monitoring the defenses of the palace in my spare time and I think that with a big enough distraction, our shuttles could punch through their air defenses and drop a team of marines within the palace. If we could get a team close enough we could capture or kill the Overlord and end his rule,” Mallory said.

James was impressed. This was the first time he had seen Mallory take any initiative beyond what his responsibilities required of him. “Thank you Lieutenant,” he said, “that could work. I think Major Johnston would have to look over your findings and formulate a plan of attack, but if it is possible, cutting the head off the snake is always the best solution.

“I would be honored to join the attack myself,” Tak’ar said.

“It is settled then,” James said. “I will seek an audience with the Overlord today, then we will begin our attack on their military outposts tomorrow. If we can take the palace with a surprise attack then that will be our priority. We are on a tight schedule though. If we are going to leave for Kulthar to give the Kulreans enough of a warning, we need to break orbit within the next three days. Can your cells begin their operations that quickly Tak’ar?”

“Yes, we will be ready,” the Resistance leader answered.

“Can I make one more suggestion?” Lieutenant Scott said.

“Go on,” James prompted. Her analysis of the Vestarians had been spot on so far. Despite the blow her confidence had taken when it had proven more difficult than she had predicted to track the fleet that had attacked Haven, Scott had been growing more and more proficient in her command skills and decision-making. He was sure her suggestion would be useful.

“I think we need to prioritize another target as well. The Overlord has a facility in the Kal’dar Mountains north of the capital called the Omen Initiative. The Resistance has managed to get some information on the facility’s location but nothing else. I think this facility is the key to the advanced tech the Overlord’s ships are using. I believe an alien ship, possibly a Kulrean one, crashed landed on Vestar two hundred years ago at the site of the Omen Initiative. If there is a ship there it could hold technologies of extreme importance.”

“What do you think Tak’ar?” James asked.

“The Omen Initiative is not an important military target, but if there is a Kulrean spaceship there then I think we need to find out. We don’t have the manpower to attack it, nor do we have any resistance cells in place to launch a strike but if you can provide assistance then we could add it to our list of targets.”

“I don’t think we can pass up such an opportunity, Scott and Bell, you two can have the privilege of leading the team that takes on the Omen Initiative.”

As everyone else got up to leave Ferguson came over to James and said, “Can I have a private word with you Captain?”

“Certainly,” James said. “Why don’t we step into my office.”

James walked through the adjoining door into his office and shouted to his steward, “Bring us two black coffees please Fox.”

James sat down behind his desk and motioned for Ferguson to sit opposite him. “What do you want to discuss?” he asked.

“This attack on the Overlord, it can’t go forward like this,” Ferguson, said, cutting straight to the point. “Can’t you realize what you are talking about? This is an alien race we have just met and you are about to get deeply involved in their politics, attempt to overthrow their government and kill thousands of their military troops.

“This is way beyond our mandate to capture Chang. I believe we are overstepping our bounds. These kinds of decisions need to be taken by our government and the Admiralty, maybe even the UN. Not a single exploration cruiser more than two hundred light years from Earth.”

“Not a single Captain two hundred light years from Earth you mean?” James said.

“Yes, I believe you are overstepping your authority,” Ferguson said without flinching. “But I’m also thinking of your career. The rest of the crew might agree with this decision but they are letting what happened at Haven cloud their judgment. You will ultimately be held responsible for whatever happens here. They will not. If this goes badly the Admiralty will use you as a scapegoat. Hell, even if it goes well there could still be a public outcry that we attacked the homeworld of the first alien race we met. You could overthrow the Overlord and free the Vestarians and still return home to find yourself court marshalled.”

“What else would you have me do?” James asked quietly, trying to give Ferguson a fair hearing.

“We should return home, let the Admiralty know everything that has gone on here. Our government will want to send out a diplomatic team to make contact with the Vestarians and the Overlord. Maybe they can achieve some success where we failed,” Ferguson suggested.

“And the Kulreans, what about them?” James pushed.

“When we release the details about the planned attack on their homeworld their satellite will be able to transmit the information to their homeworld far faster than we could ever get there,” Ferguson responded.

“And what if they don’t pick up our broadcast, or they don’t believe the information? We don’t know how they think. Would you just leave them to their fate?” James said, trying to hide his shock that Ferguson would contemplate not warning the Kulreans.

“Let’s be realistic,” Ferguson pleaded, becoming aware that the conversation wasn’t going well. “The Kulreans appear to be far more advanced than us. If the Overlord’s fleet attacked Earth or one of our main colonies the defenders would blow them out of the water. If we go to Kulthar we will likely find that the Overlord’s fleet has become a new debris field in their star system. If we are not careful they might even add us to the debris field.”

“Again, that’s assuming they actually have weapons technology,” James said with a hint of exasperation. “Lieutenant Scott’s best scans of the satellite in orbit indicate that it doesn’t have any offensive or defensive weapons. Everything the Vestarians know about the Kulreans suggests they are committed pacifists. We can’t turn a blind eye to their situation. The Royal Navy has a tradition of honor and duty. We always protect the helpless; I don’t think that changes just because the helpless are a civilization of aliens we don’t even know. Our discoveries over the last few weeks suggest that there could be a whole host of alien civilizations out there. Don’t we want humans to be known as the race that will help the weak and bring freedom to the oppressed?”

“I don’t disagree with you Captain,” Ferguson said, “but I still don’t think we have the authority to make the Kulreans our problem. It must be up to the Admiralty to decide. We need to put our interests and safety first.”

“Ok,” James said in an effort to try another track. “Have you thought about what will happen when we go home? What will the Admiralty decide to do?”

“Well, I presume whatever the government will instruct them to do,” Ferguson answered.

“And how will the government decide?” James queried.