First Admiral 02 The Burning Sun (27 page)

On another part of the Hospital Deck, Emma Wallace was feeling great. Lying on a strange bed-like apparatus, that levitated from the ground, in a darkened room, she felt her world spinning and a wonderful euphoric sensation of peace and warmth. Turning onto her side, she pulled up the strange blue cover and with a very broad, satisfied grin closed her eyes. Never, in her entire life, had she felt so good. Not even when she had gotten drunk that night with Tommy Warner had she felt so relaxed and comfortable.

The young Cerador Medical Technician stepped forward and lifted Emma’s arm to check her wrist pulse.

“You look funny,” Emma smiled blankly opening her eyes, and began to hum a childhood nursery rhyme.

The sharp featured Technician, with the hooked nose, nodded his head, satisfied that the relaxant drugs were now taking full effect.

“Here comes a chopper to chop off your head,” Emma giggled loudly as the grey-opaque force-shielding of the doorway cleared to allow access to a familiar figure.

“Sir!” the Cerador Technician snapped to attention, causing Emma to roll over to see what the sudden commotion was about.

“At ease,” Billy waved the Technician to relax as he approached the levitating Med-Bed.

“Hey, sweet cheeks!” Emma called out breezily to the figure that she recognised and reached her hand out to Billy.

“You quite happy down there?” Billy asked smiling softly; stopping himself from taking her hand in his own injured hand.

“Tee-riffic!” Emma announced and tried to focus on Billy’s face, “you got something on your face, kiddo?” she asked with a puzzled look and then began to giggle again.

“Yep, it gets messy around here,” Billy replied suddenly conscious of his damaged face.

“Well, you’re gonna have to clean it up before dinner, or you won’t get any pudding,” Emma giggled as she scolded, wagging her finger.

“I’ll get right on it,” Billy smiled feeling waves of incredible sadness sweep over him.

“Yeah, can’t have you at dinner looking like that,” she smiled and closed her eyes again.

“Sir,” the Technician interrupted, “it’s time,” he indicated the Memory Shredder in his hand.

One of the more unsavoury aspects of the Garmaurians was an ingenious mechanism that interrupted the synaptic flows from the area of the brain that converted short-term memories to long-term. If specifically targeted, the device could also erase the electrical activity in areas of the brain that held certain memories. It was primarily used by Garmaurian Intelligence to erase the memories of their agents in order for them to maintain their cover stories. If they had no memories of a previous life then they could not betray themselves to an enemy interrogator.

“Very well,” Billy nodded to the Technician who stepped forward with a narrow, white strip that he placed upon Emma’s forehead.

“Hey, sunshine, headbands and leg-warmers were last year,” Emma mumbled.

“Step back would you, sir?” the Medical Technician asked, indicating that he was about to operate the device.

Taking a last look at the smiling and deliriously happy face, Billy took a single pace backwards.

“Switching on,” the Technician said softly and pressed a button on a keypad.

Emma gasped as she arched her back and stared wide eyes at the ceiling. Then, a moment later, she slumped back down onto the Med-Bed. In her brain, the electrical charges had been interrupted for a split-second. And, in that split-second, the memories in her short-term memory were blocked from converting to long term memories. In a few minutes they would be forgotten, whilst the targeted areas of her long-term memory were also being electrically stripped.

“How much of her memory did you erase?” Billy asked quietly as the Technician stepped forward to check Emma’s pulse again.

“Around four hours, sir,” the Technician replied, happy that Emma’s circulation had not been compromised, “but it varies from person to person.”

“How do you mean?” Billy asked.

“It depends on the person, sir,” the Technician answered carefully setting down Emma’s arm. “sometimes a four hour erase can remove four hours or it can erase twenty-four hours, it just depends, sir, sometimes it can erase all the memories of a person or a series of related events.”

Nodding slowly, Billy Caudwell had the feeling that Emma Wallace would awake back on Earth and have no memories of the past days. Deep down, he knew that it would probably be for the best. The part of his mind that was Teg Portan knew that unstable relationships and Supreme Military Command did not mix well.

“I’ll leave you for a moment, if you’ll excuse me, sir,” the Technician made discretion the better part of valour and quietly left Billy alone with Emma.

Looking down at the sleeping figure, Billy gently drew the cover up to her neck. To Billy, she looked so lovely and yet so distant and unattainable. And, for just a fraction of a second, he thought about just giving up his quest to preserve his Alliance. But, as he listened to her gently breathing, he knew that the choice between the Universal Alliance and Emma Wallace was one that she could never win. Closing his eyes, he felt tears scalding on the newly stimulated flesh of his cheeks as they ran down to stain the blue Med-bed cover. Then, taking a deep breath, Billy sighed to stifle the sob that he felt building in his chest. In that moment, the bitter-sweet agony that almost choked him, surged into every corner of his mind and body. He wanted to cry out with that pain, but in his mind he knew that he had to walk away, as his face contorted for that brief second before he regained his composure again.

Opening his eyes once again, he smiled and gently cuffed his tears away with his sleeve.

“Go to sleep now,” he said softly and took one last look at Emma before turning away.

Five steps later, he passed through the force-shielding of the door, out into the harsh light of the corridor. Dabbing his tender cheeks once more, Billy took several long deep breaths and then stamped his foot angrily as he gently exhaled. Shaking his head, to try to clear it, Billy set off, his jaw set firm as he marched purposefully down the corridor to the Teleport pad. Around him, people snapped to attention as he passed. However, Billy noticed none of them as he strode onwards, his eyes red and his throat thick with emotion.

Emma would be going home, but Billy was going to a fight.

Chapter 34

The Praxos System

The loss of the Star-Cruiser Ticonderoga hit the morale of Chulling’s flotilla badly. Everyone aboard the Alliance vessels knew, and accepted, that death was a possible outcome for their service in the military. But, the comfortable sense of invincibility that had shrouded the Alliance crews with their force-shielding had now evaporated as they had witnessed the blinding and fiery demise of Ticonderoga. Ticonderoga was the first major warship to be lost in the Alliance and people were now faced with the reality of death in combat. It was hard for many to accept their new and very sudden vulnerability.

Turthus Chulling, having served in the military during the Thexxian Exodus found himself thrown back onto his old reserves of positive mental attitude, tenacity and showmanship. Chulling knew that crews who were demoralised would very quickly be defeated. He knew that he had to inspire his people to more and greater efforts whilst presenting a bullish and positive attitude of self confidence. It was a tough sell for Chulling. Many of the Officers, Technicians and crew members on the Ticonderoga had been friends, colleagues and comrades and their loss had hit him hard. But, with the flotilla extracted from the frontier, Chulling was planning a surprise for the Bardomil invaders who were rapidly approaching the new position, close to the planet of Valnarim.

With the pink and orange gas giant, Valnarim, anchoring the left wing of his position some half a million kilometres distant, Chulling was happy with his new position. The Eagles had been launched and were holding their pre-planned positions with a small contingent of five Star-Cruisers. The remaining Star-Cruisers and the two Fleet Carriers held their diamond formation in readiness for the Bardomil approach.

In the War Room of the Memphis, Chulling kept his own counsel as the Officers and Technicians went about their duties. Less than an hour previously, the War Room had been buzzing with excitement and confidence. Now, the mood of the War Room personnel was darker and more reserved. Losing the Ticonderoga had stunned many of them into a morose and anxious silence that Chulling knew he had to break. And, the only way to restore that shattered confidence was with victory. With his plans set and the ships in position, he hoped that much needed victory was only a few minutes away.

“Sir,” the Scanner Officer said flatly, “enemy approaching,” he continued with little enthusiasm.

“Very good,” Chulling said determinedly, “let’s have the force-shielding up at maximum and put everyone on standby.”

Stepping over to the War Table, Chulling could see the dejection amongst his staff Officers. Long faces and downcast eyes were a signal to Chulling that his own Staff Officers were already half beaten.

“Right then, gentlemen,” Chulling began bullishly, “it’s time to start handing out some of what we’ve been taking.”

“Sir!” the Scanner Officer announced, “enemy formation in range of video scanners.”

“Very well, let’s have a look at them, activate War Table!” Chulling demanded and the War Room was immediately plunged into darkness.

The brief few seconds of static cleared to show an image of the lead elements of the Bardomil strike force. Once again it was the classic formation with Flying Devils up front in a ragged cordon with more forming a protective perimeter around the M-Cruisers. Wryly, Chulling noted that the M-Cruiser complement was back up to full strength. The M-Cruisers in the invasion force convoy had been brought forward as had the Imperial Fighter Carriers. The Bardomil commander was trying to crush this Alliance flotilla as quickly as he could. Scanning down the lanes of the invasion convoy, Chulling noticed that several thousand supply and troop transports were missing, and theorised that they had been detached to occupy the two planets that the Alliance had to abandon. For a huge sacrifice in blood, the Bardomil had gained two large ice-bound lumps of rock. Not a very fair trade, Chulling considered, even if they were strategically important.

Tracking back through the War Table image, Chulling could see the Imperial Fighter Carriers clustered to the rear of the formation with the M-Cruisers making their way forward to challenge the Alliance Star-Cruisers once more. In the centre of the Bardomil formation, large numbers of Harpoons and Flying Devils were being launched under the soft warm glow of the pink and orange planet where Chulling had chosen to make his stand. With a shake of his head Chulling recognised that the Bardomil were still attempting to draw his Eagles out into a fighter-on-fighter contest with the more numerical Flying Devils and Harpoons.

“WATO, make ready,” Chulling ordered, “get the pulsar-cannons warmed up.”

“Sir!” the WATO replied.

On the War Table image, Chulling watched as the M-Cruisers started to move into their formations and the Bardomil fighters slotted into their positions in the feared and infamous Big Wing. The Bardomil commander was taking his time deploying his forces, Chulling considered and watched as the distance between the M-Cruisers and the Big Wing started to grow. This was not what Chulling wanted and urged the Big Wing to close the gap on the M-Cruisers. For his plan to succeed he needed the fighters much closer to the M-Cruisers and much further away from the Fighter Carriers.

Watching impatiently, Chulling could see more and more Harpoons and Flying Devils emerge from the Fighter Carrier bays to join up in the Big Wing.

“Come on, come on,” Chulling urged the Bardomil fighters to move further forward.

“Enemy opening fire, sir,” the Scanner Officer chimed as Chulling watched the M-Cruisers start to make up their trio formations and fire their first salvo at the Alliance position.

Almost immediately, the Memphis shuddered under the impact of the strengthened laser weapons from the M-Cruisers.

“Return fire, WATO, and tell the gunners to anticipate!!” Chulling ordered knowing that every shot was going to have to count in this battle.

Within seconds, the first salvoes from the Alliance high-yield pulsar-cannons were hurtling downrange to find the deadly trio formations. On the War Table image, Chulling was pleased to see that the gunners’ aim had improved. Six of the trio formations burst like ripe melons in deep red, fiery plumes of destruction. Two more groups, just forming their trios, were also hit and the power feedback reached out like a deadly tendril to engulf all of the members in a cataclysmic explosion.

“Better WATO,” Chulling praised and waited for the inevitable Bardomil response whilst the Alliance pulsar-cannons went through their fifteen second cooling procedures.

Keeping a steady eye on the positions relative to the Big Wing and the M-Cruiser formation, Chulling could see that the M-Cruisers had slowed their advance to allow the fighters to catch up. Without fighter support the M-Cruisers were vulnerable to Alliance Eagles and Grattus Darrien knew that if Chulling wanted to stop the pounding he would have to commit those fighters.

“Come on, that’s the ticket,” Chulling smiled wolfishly as the Big Wing crept closer to the M-Cruisers’ position.

“Enemy firing again, sir,” the Scanner Officer announced.

On the War Table, Chulling could see the tiny yellow laser streaks emerging from the front of the M-Cruiser trios. An instant later, Memphis and most of the other Alliance Star-Cruisers were shuddering from direct hits.

“Damage!?” Chulling yelled.

“We’re holding up, sir!” an Engineering Officer called out.

“No major damage reported from the rest of the flotilla!” a Comms Technician added.

They’re still too far away to really start to harm us, Chulling considered. If the M-Cruisers got close enough to the Alliance vessels they might be well able to overwhelm the force-shielding with the increased intensity of the laser weapons. It was an idea that Chulling chose not to dwell upon too closely. Short stabbing raids with the Eagles could keep the M-Cruisers away for a brief time. But Chulling knew that unless he did something to break up the M-Cruiser and Big Wing formation then his flotilla would be pounded to oblivion.