Jessie’s ears were ringing and she found she was clutching her armrest with a death grip. She could hear Rob Cole speaking but she couldn’t quite make out the words. She pushed herself upright and winced from a sudden pain in her chest. “Repeat that,” she commanded through gritted teeth.
He turned to face her and she could make out what he said as much through reading his lips as hearing. “Watson is moving to cover us; they’re going to distract the Cousteau’s fire. Our shields held but there are minor injuries throughout the ship.”
She faced the viewscreen in time to watch as Watson moved across Cousteau’s bow and the Survey Cruiser fired its phasers at the police corvette. “Get us out of firing range,” she said, careful to take only shallow breaths to avoid the pain. “Tell Watson to follow.” The police ships easily moved around the larger cruiser, which began to follow them away from the planet. When the two corvettes were outside of the orbit of the third planet, the cruiser returned to its original position in orbit around the second planet.
Two minutes later, there was an impromptu strategy conference on the bridge of the Holmes with the staff of the Watson attending via the main viewscreen. “Did you notice, Captain Decker,” asked her opposite number, “when we went across her bow, the Cousteau only attacked us with her phasers?” Jessie nodded. “Also,” he continued, “that their attacks on our two ships were not very tactically coordinated?”
Lieutenant Coles summed it up for both crews. “Whoever is in control of that ship isn’t familiar with its capabilities yet and probably doesn’t have control of its photon torpedoes. It’s the same with the warp signature. They can use the warp engines but not efficiently enough to leave the system under warp power.”
Thanks to her sore ribs, Jessie had been trying to let others carry the conversation. Her executive officer had made an important point and she wanted to address it. “So far, and that’s our chief concern. If whoever they are do manage to break orbit and leave the system under full power, there’s no way we can keep up with them. We’ve got to get aboard and get control of that ship before that happens.”
“From the way y’all are talking,” said Chief Lick, betraying a hint of southern drawl, “that you don’t think the crew of the Cousteau is in control of the ship. That will mean boarding party combat. I’d like to know as much as I can about what we’re facing before we have to commit any troopers to combat.”
“I agree,” Jessie said as a plan began to take shape in her mind. “Mr. Carawan, how close will we need to get to that ship for you to ascertain the status of her photon torpedoes and crew?”
“At six clicks we can tell if they’re armed, but the only way to see if they’ve overridden the lock-outs is to see the Cousteau’s computer,” the tech answered. “From four we can get a good bio scan through their shields.”
“We should study the planet as well,” added the captain of the Watson. “Try to determine the link between the ship and the planet if possible.”
“We’ll take the ship,” Jessie decided. “Our shields are slightly better and our equipment is slightly newer. Once we’ve engaged them, you come around the other side of the planet and see what you can find out. We’ll signal each other when we’ve accomplished our tasks. Future actions based on what we find out, but eventually we probably will have to attempt a boarding action.”
The captain of the Watson saluted and the viewscreen once again showed the local system. Jessie silently thanked the power that had provided them with the extra troopers for anti-piracy patrol. “All right gentlemen,” she said, “our mission is to scan the Cousteau to find out what we can about her armament and crew. Chief Lick, I may want a raiding party available to rescue members of the original crew or capture some of the current occupants. Any questions?” When there were none, beyond the silent wonder of how they would face the cruiser alone, she said, hoping it would be some comfort, “I’m relying on our maneuverability to keep us out of their primary weapons arcs. Inform HQ of our situation and plans and let’s go.”
Time dragged out slowly as the Watson moved into position. Jessie had to force herself not to drum her fingers on her armrest. She tried taking a deep calming breath but found it painful. She forced herself to breathe slowly in and out until she could take that deep breath. “Captain, is there something I can assist you with?” asked Lieutenant Cole.
He had no doubt seen her wince. To admit to a problem now meant missing the biggest mission of her life. “Thank you XO, I don’t require anything,” she said formally. He gave her a lingering look before returning to his duties.
Finally, they received the signal that Watson was ready. “Raise our ECM to level two,” Jessie ordered, “and maintain as high a speed as possible. Remember this is an information gathering pass. Can we overload a photon torpedo and hold it while still beating the best speed they’ve demonstrated?”
“Aye Captain,” replied ensign Etheridge from his weapons console, “but it will drain the batteries fairly quickly and we won’t be able to recharge it.”
“Helm,” she said, “once tactics is ready, take us in. Six clicks distance from the Cousteau, four once we’re out of her torpedo arc. Move and mark.” She listened for the collection of acknowledgements before nodding to herself and the Holmes was underway.
The Cousteau was still in orbit around the second planet, but turned to face them as Holmes came out from the shadow of the third. “Cousteau has launched a drone,” ensign Etheridge said. “It’s standard type one. We will be able to evade it without using our own racks.”
“Destroy it,” Jessie overrode him. She didn’t want their preplanned course altered if possible. When the missile reached effective range, a smaller drone was released from the Holmes and intercepted it, destroying both weapons. The two ships closed and the Cousteau engaged its electronic systems, neutralizing the protection Holmes systems provided. “Begin erratic maneuvers,” Jessie ordered.
Just in time, as all four of the main phaser banks of the Cousteau opened fire. The smaller ship rocked slightly, but this time the crew was prepared. The shields held and the Holmes made its close pass of the saucer. “I’ll need us to stop using EM to get good data,” said Carawan. The Holmes steadied its course and he leaned into his scanner. “Photon tubes are cold, point defense phasers are hot, scout sensors are not active,” he said without looking up. As they passed along the larger ship, he announced, “biological data coming in. Approximately 300 life signs aboard. None human.”
Jessie didn’t have time to wonder what had happened to the crew. The cruiser began turning to pursue them. “Signal Watson. Tell them we have engaged the Cousteau.”
Lieutenant Cole informed her when the signal was transmitted. “Bring us around, keep our flank shields towards the Cousteau. I want to bring down one of her forward shields.”
The Holmes was able to make the turn inside the larger cruiser and had its weapons centerlined on the Cousteau before the cruiser was ready to fire. “Batteries exhausted,” reported engineering, “we’re going to have to reduce speed.”
“Negative,” Jessie responded and interjected “Fire!” into her response. “Keep the speed high and recharge what we can.” Their own phasers lanced forward, accompanied by the heavier ‘thrum’ of the photon torpedo being launched.
“Direct hit!” Ensign Etheridge announced. “Cousteau has reinforced the shield and is kicking in their batteries. It’s holding.”
“Fire defensive phasers,” Jessie added.
“That did it!” he said excitedly, “their number two shield has collapsed. No damage to the ship itself.”
“Well done,” Jessie complemented him. “Chief Lick,” she said into her intercom. “We have downed a shield on the Cousteau and will be making another pass. “Transporter control is yours. Get a team in, find out what they are, and get out.” He replied with a tersely grunted “Aye.”
Then the Cousteau returned fire. Only half of the main phasers were able to bear on the Holmes, but she added her defensive phasers also. Jessie could tell immediately that the Holmes had been hurt. “Damage amidships,” reported the XO. “Auxiliary control is offline. Casualty reports: minor injuries only.” She sighed in relief, feeling a sharp ache in her chest in response.
“Prepare a high energy turn. We don’t want that shield being hit again when we make our next run,” she ordered. “Just enough power in weapons to bring down any reinforcement they might use. Use the rest in movement and defense.”
Despite the hurt done to their ship, and their newfound respect for the firepower of the cruiser, her orders were carried out quickly. It was made worse on their next approach when crewman Carawan announced “energy signature in one of their photon tubes. It looks like overload strength.” There was a moment of silence on the bridge. A single torpedo from the cruiser would be enough to knock down one of their shields on its own.
Holmes raced in, fired its phasers, this time doing unavoidable damage to the cruiser. “It’s a good hit, Captain.” Etheridge reported. “Damage scattered across their systems: “drone launcher, main bridge, defensive phaser, several hull hits, impulse engines, and a photon torpedo tube,” he added excitedly.
“Not the one that’s arming,” Carawan announced somberly.
“Marines away,” Lieutenant Cole said. “Cousteau is in firing position.”
“High-energy turn, now!” Jessie exclaimed. “Get us out of here.” The ship shuddered as the Cousteau fired, but felt ok.
“Aft shield collapsed,” Etheridge reported. “No internal damage.”
The Holmes lurched again, this time from the turn Jessie had ordered, and made its way back alongside the cruiser. As they passed it, the transporters collected the boarding party from the Cousteau. “Stay outside of overload range for that torpedo,” she said, “and try to keep us off their centerline. Maximum defense and do what you can for our shields.”
“Chief Lick reports they have captured an alien from the Cousteau,” Lieutenant Coles informed her. “He also reports they’ve brought back a dead one for Dr. Law to take apart.” There was some snickering. “Belay that kind of talk on the bridge,” Jessie said quickly.
In the chagrinned silence that followed, Ensign Acton reported from the helm “Cousteau is not pursuing. They’re turning back toward the planet.”
“They received some kind of signal from the planet,” Lieutenant Coles explained. “Watson has apparently been discovered.”
“Pursuit course,” Jessie ordered quickly. “Do what we can to slow them down. Alert Watson that the Cousteau has an overloaded photon torpedo armed.”
Despite sniping from the corvette, the Cousteau returned to the planet and began pursuing the Watson. Once the second police ship was beyond the orbit of the third planet, the Cousteau turned back toward the M-class planet. Holmes quickly evaded the cruiser and sped after its cohort.
Safely away from the Cousteau’s weapons, and with the adrenalin kick wearing off, Jessie realized how much worse she feeling. She concentrated and registered her XO saying, “I hope the Watson learned something because right now the only think I can think of is blasting her until the computer ejects the saucer to prevent its destruction and towing that back to a starbase.”
Another idea was already forming itself in her mind. She opened her mouth to speak and coughed instead. She raised her hand to cover her mouth and her fingers came down red. She stared at it the bloody hand blankly, hearing Lieutenant Coles shouting, “Medical emergency on the bridge.”
Topic: Gremlins (Read 26423 times)