know that we have successfully tested the jump technology not only once but twice,” Bud answered matter-of-factly.
Cat gave her friend a stern look. She would not have shared that last piece until they had determined the exact fate of the ‘peek’ probe they were still trying to locate.
“Admiral Kimbridge, is this true?” Imera asked in a pained voice. Cat noticed it was the first time he had used her rank during their entire discussion.
“The technology has proven effective and viable,” Cat confirmed without revealing the very real shortcomings they had discovered.
“That is unfortunate,” Admiral Imera said as he made a slashing motion with his hand directed to an officer off screen. His holographic image dissolved.
“Admiral,” Ben said to Cat, “They are powering up weapons systems and preparing to fire.”
“Well I suppose that puts to bed any doubts as to why the Hupenstanii have been cut off,” Ken Kirkland mused from the engineering station he was at. “Their dirty little secret is out of the bag.”
“Shields up!” Cat barked. “Signal the Relentless to make best speed for the nearest jump point. Helm, position us to run interference for them.”
“Admiral, I have Captain Purohit on channel one.”
Cat nodded to the communications officer. “Open the channel.”
The captain of the GCP Relentless shimmered into view. The holographic tracking camera showed he was making his way quickly through a corridor on his way towards his own bridge. His harried appearance seemed to indicate he had been in the middle of a sleep cycle when the emergency klaxons had gone off. He was still buttoning his uniform coat as he was making his way down the corridor.
“Admiral we are preparing to launch fighters. We can’t stop six heavy cruisers but we can buy you time...”
“Negative Vigit, your orders are to make best speed to the secondary site. Hook up with the Brown Recluse and rendezvous with the rest of the taskforce.”
“Admiral…,” Captain Vigit Purohit began.
“This is not a debate Captain! You have your orders,” she added more gently. “Don’t worry Vigit. I have every intention of joining you at the rendezvous.”
“Very well Admiral, but at least let me launch a full spread of decoy drones.”
Cat smiled. “Tie them into the Yorktown’s control systems and launch fully cloaked. And Captain… Thanks”
“My pleasure Admiral. Purohit out.”
Ken looked up. “Admiral we having incoming fighters.”
She nodded. “Signal the CAG, I want our fighters to hold in the bay… Do NOT launch fighters.” Cat turned to Ken. “Captain, we need to find that probe. Launch a full spread of both decoy drones and reconnaissance probes. Tie the drones into the ones from the Relentless and have them emulate two fighter wings. Push the probes as hard as their drives will allow and get me a location on our ‘Peek’ probe.”
“Admiral,” Ben asked, “what if the ‘Peek’ probe failed to make it back?”
“Unfortunately that’s something we need to know too. I want all systems on standby for an immediate jump on my go.” This last was directed towards Sassi.
“Aye Aye Admiral,” the Ashkelon started to acknowledged…
KA’BOOM! Cat braced herself as the floor seemed to drop away. Many of her officers were not as fast and were thrown several feet across the deck.
The lighting system flickered and the bridge of the GCP Yorktown shook as the ship’s systems struggled to shed several thousand petajoules worth of energy washing over the ship’s shields.
“Shields at eighty three percent and regenerating,” Ben reported from his station.
“That was three of their ships firing at once,” Ken added. “If they take turns firing on us, my guess is they believe they can bleed our shields down to nothing.”
“Replacement emitters available to come online in ninety seconds,” Ben interjected.
“A warning then,” Cat agreed. “Imera wants us to know he means
Cat gave her friend a stern look. She would not have shared that last piece until they had determined the exact fate of the ‘peek’ probe they were still trying to locate.
“Admiral Kimbridge, is this true?” Imera asked in a pained voice. Cat noticed it was the first time he had used her rank during their entire discussion.
“The technology has proven effective and viable,” Cat confirmed without revealing the very real shortcomings they had discovered.
“That is unfortunate,” Admiral Imera said as he made a slashing motion with his hand directed to an officer off screen. His holographic image dissolved.
“Admiral,” Ben said to Cat, “They are powering up weapons systems and preparing to fire.”
“Well I suppose that puts to bed any doubts as to why the Hupenstanii have been cut off,” Ken Kirkland mused from the engineering station he was at. “Their dirty little secret is out of the bag.”
“Shields up!” Cat barked. “Signal the Relentless to make best speed for the nearest jump point. Helm, position us to run interference for them.”
“Admiral, I have Captain Purohit on channel one.”
Cat nodded to the communications officer. “Open the channel.”
The captain of the GCP Relentless shimmered into view. The holographic tracking camera showed he was making his way quickly through a corridor on his way towards his own bridge. His harried appearance seemed to indicate he had been in the middle of a sleep cycle when the emergency klaxons had gone off. He was still buttoning his uniform coat as he was making his way down the corridor.
“Admiral we are preparing to launch fighters. We can’t stop six heavy cruisers but we can buy you time...”
“Negative Vigit, your orders are to make best speed to the secondary site. Hook up with the Brown Recluse and rendezvous with the rest of the taskforce.”
“Admiral…,” Captain Vigit Purohit began.
“This is not a debate Captain! You have your orders,” she added more gently. “Don’t worry Vigit. I have every intention of joining you at the rendezvous.”
“Very well Admiral, but at least let me launch a full spread of decoy drones.”
Cat smiled. “Tie them into the Yorktown’s control systems and launch fully cloaked. And Captain… Thanks”
“My pleasure Admiral. Purohit out.”
Ken looked up. “Admiral we having incoming fighters.”
She nodded. “Signal the CAG, I want our fighters to hold in the bay… Do NOT launch fighters.” Cat turned to Ken. “Captain, we need to find that probe. Launch a full spread of both decoy drones and reconnaissance probes. Tie the drones into the ones from the Relentless and have them emulate two fighter wings. Push the probes as hard as their drives will allow and get me a location on our ‘Peek’ probe.”
“Admiral,” Ben asked, “what if the ‘Peek’ probe failed to make it back?”
“Unfortunately that’s something we need to know too. I want all systems on standby for an immediate jump on my go.” This last was directed towards Sassi.
“Aye Aye Admiral,” the Ashkelon started to acknowledged…
KA’BOOM! Cat braced herself as the floor seemed to drop away. Many of her officers were not as fast and were thrown several feet across the deck.
The lighting system flickered and the bridge of the GCP Yorktown shook as the ship’s systems struggled to shed several thousand petajoules worth of energy washing over the ship’s shields.
“Shields at eighty three percent and regenerating,” Ben reported from his station.
“That was three of their ships firing at once,” Ken added. “If they take turns firing on us, my guess is they believe they can bleed our shields down to nothing.”
“Replacement emitters available to come online in ninety seconds,” Ben interjected.
“A warning then,” Cat agreed. “Imera wants us to know he means
Similar Books
