The Search for Gram (9 page)

“Four hours until the rendezvous with the
Soaring Eagle
,” said the helmsman. “Recommend rotating ship.”

“Roger,” replied Captain Sheppard. “Rotate ship; commence braking.”

“Rotate ship, aye,” repeated the helmsman. “Commencing braking, aye.” He input the instructions that flipped the ship so its thrust could be used to slow the ship’s approach to the Jotunn vessel.

“I have a question,” said Calvin. “When we spoke to Fenrir earlier, he said Ragnarok was coming. I looked at the information we have available, and it says Ragnarok is the end of the world. What did he mean?”

“The Jotunn used to inhabit the planet Asgard,” Captain Nightsong replied. “They achieved space flight at about the same time we did and immediately attacked us. After a series of wars, the Aesir were triumphant, and we moved the Jotunn out of the system for the good of both of our races. The Jotunn have never forgotten their ancient home, and they have a number of stories about what will happen once they return to it. Ragnarok is one of these stories, and it is more than just one event that results in the end of Asgard. The story is a series of future events all the Jotunn believe will occur. It includes a great battle which results in the death of a number of major figures on both sides, various natural disasters and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. How that’s supposed to happen, though, is beyond me. Afterward, Asgard will resurface new and fertile, and the Jotunn survivors will live happily ever after, free of Aesir rule. It’s a very nice fairy tale….from their point of view.”

“It didn’t sound like Fenrir thought it was a fairy tale,” replied Calvin.

“No, to him it is not. Still, there is no way the events could happen as they prophesy. For example, it is extremely unlikely the major figures the story mentions would ever be together in the same system, much less together in a battle where all of them would die.”

“Who are the major figures?” asked Captain Sheppard.

“Our ruler Thor and their ruler Odin, to start with,” Captain Nightsong answered. “Also, Tyr, the head of our military and Freyr, the head of their military. A few others beyond that.” He smiled. “It takes a certain kind of bravery on the part of the Jotunn leader to declare Ragnarok has begun when he knows that he is supposed to die as part of it. That is very interesting. Perhaps they have redefined the story; it is unlikely the Odin intends to die if he thinks the Jotunn can take back Asgard.”

“Sir!” said the DSO. “I’ve got a new contact. It just appeared about 10,000,000 miles from us!”

“What is it?” asked Captain Sheppard.

“Unknown,” replied the DSO. “It’s not in our database. Initial indications are it is destroyer-sized, but that’s all I’ve got.”

“Talk to me, Steropes,” said Sheppard, turning to the science station, “What have you got? Where did it come from?”

“I do not know,” replied Steropes. “It just appeared. I did not have any indications of its presence before. Although it appears destroyer-sized, its power readings are unlike any I’ve ever seen.”

“I don’t like this,” said Captain Sheppard. “General Quarters!” he commanded in a loud voice. “Emergency power. Get us back to the stargate.”

“Aye aye, sir,” said the helmsman and the duty engineer. Red lights began flashing as the engineer called for General Quarters.

“Lieutenant Commander Hobbs, get your fighters manned,” Captain Sheppard added.

“Yes, sir,” replied Calvin. He bolted for the door, already comming orders to the squadron.

“Sir,” said the DSO, “something strange is going on with the unknown ship. There’s something onboard that is using a massive amount of power.”

“Is it a weapon system?”

“I don’t know. If they are charging something, it’s going to be something
big
!”

“He’s right,” said Steropes. “Something onboard is using enough power to drive the ship, but it isn’t moving.”

The communications officer sat upright in her seat. “Sir, we’re being hailed by the Jotunn ship.”

“On screen,” said Captain Sheppard.

Captain Fenrir’s laughing face filled the front screen. “Ho, ho, ho,” he chortled. “One little ship appears, and you immediately try to run? Do you Terrans have no bravery or honor? Perhaps the ship is friendly.”

“Is it friendly?” asked the CO.

“Of course not,” replied Captain Fenrir. “You are about to find out what destroyed the Aesir ship. You asked who destroyed it; you’re about to get your answer. It is unfortunate word won’t make it back to Golirion, but we will be there to show them ourselves, soon enough.”

Captain Sheppard pushed the button that ended the transmission, and the Jotunn’s face disappeared. “What is the new ship doing?” he asked.

“Nothing that I can tell,” replied the DSO. “It’s just sitting there. Something on board is still using a lot of power, though.”

“Communications, try to hail the vessel,” ordered the CO. He turned to the helmsman. “How close are we going to get?”

“It’s going to be close. We’re probably going to come within 750,000 miles before we begin accelerating back away.”

“We’re within missile range,” noted the Offensive Systems Officer (OSO). “Do you want me to begin firing?”

“No,” replied Captain Sheppard. “Despite what the Jotunn said, we don’t know that the unknown ship actually destroyed the
Blue Forest
or that they are our enemies. If we can talk to them instead of fighting them, maybe we can bring them over to our side.”

“The ship is still not responding to our hails,” replied the communications officer.

“Keep trying,” ordered the CO.

“Progress toward the Jotunn ship has been halted, and we are now accelerating toward the stargate,” said the helmsman.

“Sir!” said the DSO. “I think the unknown ship just fired at us! There was a power spike, and then something launched that is heading towards us!”

“What is it, Steropes?” asked the CO.

“Unknown,” answered Steropes. “The object is unlike anything I have ever seen, and it is impossible to analyze. Even though we can visually see the entity on the screen when it blots out stars behind it, the object doesn’t exist on the sensors. I have never seen anything like it in all my life.”

“That was weird,” said the DSO. “Steropes, did you see the ship blink when it fired?”

“Yes, the ship was definitely not there for at least 0.27 seconds,” agreed Steropes.

“What does that mean?” asked Captain Sheppard.

“I do not know,” replied Steropes.

“OK, you don’t know what the object is. Can I assume that it’s probably a weapon?”

“With the wreck of the
Blue Forest
nearby and the other Aesir vessels missing, I believe the object is likely a weapon,” agreed Steropes. “I do not think you want to let it overtake us.”

“I agree,” replied Captain Sheppard. “DSO, weapons free; defend the ship. OSO, let’s see if we can kill the bastard. Fire all weapons!”

“Missile doors opening,” both weapons systems officers chorused.

“Graser mounts extending,” said the OSO as the offensive gamma ray lasers moved into position.

“Laser mounts extending,” said the DSO as the defensive laser clusters deployed.

“ASMs away!” announced the OSO. The crew could feel the ship jolt as the big anti-ship missiles launched.

“Engaging the inbound track with AMMs,” reported the DSO as he launched the anti-missile missiles.

All eyes followed the missiles on the main screen as they raced to intercept the incoming object.

“What the fuck?” asked the DSO as the tracks merged.

“What is it?” asked the CO.

“Sir, whatever is following us avoided our missiles. When our weapons should have hit it, their missile, or torpedo or whatever the hell that thing is blinked out.”

“What do you mean ‘blinked out?’”

“The same thing just happened to me,” said the OSO. “I fired at the ship, and it just disappeared when the missiles should have hit. Our missiles flew right through where the ship was without hitting anything. Then, once the missiles were clear, the ship reappeared again.”

“What the hell is chasing us, Steropes?”

“I don’t know, sir. I’ve never seen anything like it. The weapon chasing us is much slower than any anti-ship missile I have ever seen. It appears to be some sort of torpedo.”

“Helm,” the CO asked, “are we going to outrun it?”

“No, sir. That torpedo thing is slower than a normal missile, but it’s still a lot faster than we are.

“Are the shields going to stop it, Steropes?”

“I don’t know, sir. Probably not.”

“Shit,” said the DSO, who had been counting on the shields. “10 seconds to weapon impact on the
Gulf
.” He switched to the ship’s internal communications network. “
Missile hit in five seconds. All hands brace for shock!
” He turned off the comms system and said under his breath, “Three…two…one…”

The ship rocked as the torpedo impacted. Despite the acceleration dampeners, the crew could feel the ship decelerate, and the lights dimmed before coming back on full strength. Warning lights began flashing on consoles all across the bridge.

“Sir!” called the duty engineer. “We just lost Engine Room Two, and all of the equipment linked to it. I don’t have any communications with anyone back there. Damage crews are responding.”

“The unknown ship is moving,” said the DSO. “It’s turning to follow us and is accelerating.”

“Launch the fighters,” said Captain Sheppard; “maybe they’ll have better luck.”

“Fighters launching,” replied the OSO. “Ops reports nine fighters launched. Lieutenant Commander Hobbs’ fighter is having mechanical problems and is being repaired.”

“We have 12 fighters,” said Captain Sheppard. “Where are the other two?”

“I don’t know,” replied the OSO. “They are no longer showing on my board.”

“What do you mean?”

“When the torpedo hit, the other two fighters must have been in its area of effect. They just vanished from my screens as if they no longer existed.”

“Roger,” acknowledged the CO. He turned to the communications officer. “Download our mission logs to a message missile and launch it back to Golirion,” he ordered. “That way, at least someone will know what happened.”

“Yes, sir,” replied the communications officer.

Captain Sheppard turned to Captain Nightsong. “Any ideas, Captain?” he asked.

“None,” Nightsong replied. “Everything you’ve done seems to be by the book. I expect your actions are very similar to what our ships would have done.”

“Yeah, and look what that got the
Blue Forest
.”

“Indeed,” replied the Aesir. “We must come up with something else.”

“What happened to
11
and
12
?” asked the squadron’s executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Sarah ‘Lights’ Brighton.

“They’re gone, XO,” said her pilot, Lieutenant Carl ‘Guns’ Simpson. “‘Primo’ Miller was talking to me over implant, and he cut out at the same time as the flash.”

“I just heard from the
Gulf
,” said Lights; “that flash was some sort of unknown weapon. Detach and let’s get a quick damage assessment while the rest of the squadron launches.”

“Roger that, ma’am,” replied Guns. He switched to the
Gulf’s
Departure frequency and called the ship on the radio. “Asp 02
is ready for launch.
”

“
Roger,
02
, you are cleared for launch. Detaching in three…two…one…launch!
”

“02
is clear of the ship; proceeding on mission,
” commed Guns.

“
Roger,
02
, get some for us!
”

Guns flew down the length of the ship toward the stern. “Holy shit,” he said as he glimpsed the back ring where half of the Asps had been mounted. “Vella Gulf, Asp 02
, it looks like something took a big bite out of the back of the ship,
” he commed. “
I don’t know how the weapon did it, but the cut looks smooth; there’s no jagged metal at all. It’s just gone
!”

“What do you suppose did that?” asked Lights.

“I’ve seen a lot of battle damage in my short time as a space fighter pilot,” replied Guns, “but I have
never
seen anything like this.”