into motion. Adam brought Group Commander Estaban Revente on com, ordering the fighters to launch. They didn’t anticipate such an engagement directly out of hyper jump so it would take time for them to launch, time they did not necessarily have. The pulse cannons would have to keep the enemy busy along with the Crystal Font.
Surely, four of us can take these guys down but I didn’t think they came in such force. Six ships? What are they doing?
“I had the pilots on standby,” Revente said. “They’ll be out in less than five minutes.”
“God bless you for being prepared,” Adam said, reporting the news to the captain.
“Excellent.” Gray nodded. “How’s the Crystal Font?”
“They’ve powered up weapons and are moving to engage,” Olly answered. “The enemy has scanned us but so far, none have disengaged to meet us.”
“We’re too far to matter,” Clea said. She stood. “We need to push it if we’re going to help those alliance ships. They’re being obliterated!”
“Full power to the engines,” Gray said. “Drop the speed when the fighters are ready to launch. We’ll come in tight and give them a broadside.”
Redding tapped the controls. The engines powered up, humming throughout the ship as they accelerated. Adam joined Gray, leaning close.
“We should use the Protocol Seven,” he said. “It’ll surprise them…we might not have time to save those other ships if we don’t.”
“We’re already a surprise,” Gray replied. “They had no idea we were coming.”
“Six on four aren’t even odds,” Adam pressed. “If we don’t use everything at our disposal, we won’t win this.”
“What’s that?” Gray pointed at the screen, gesturing at the planet. “Do you see those flashes?”
“On it.” Olly read something before answering. “It seems the enemy has landed a fairly large contingency of troops. They’re in the midst of a nasty battle with planetary defense forces. Man, they’re shelling each other!”
“I need to speak to Anthar Ru’Xin,” Gray said. “Get him on the line.”
Kale appeared on the screen. “Captain,” he said. “It seems our simple mission has taken a turn for the complicated.”
“They’ve got troops on the planet,” Gray replied. “That sounds like they want something to me.”
“Indeed, I suspect they intend to take our research.” Kale frowned. “We won’t make short work of these battleships but we must extract our scientists. If we cannot save the data, it must be destroyed. Whatever happens, the enemy cannot take that facility.”
“We can shell it,” Adam announced. “Pulverize it from orbit.”
Clea stood in a rush, her face flush with uncharacteristic passion. “And murder all those people?”
“Denying the enemy that research is the most important thing, isn’t it?” Adam asked.
“No,” Clea replied firmly. “No, it is not. Captain, I will personally lead a strike force to the surface to get the data, and the people, out of there. Just give me the word and we’ll prepare right now.”
“A small force isn’t going to help down there.” Adam gestured to the planet. “There’s no way.”
“That’s precisely what we need,” Clea snapped. “We can get there undetected, download any data we can, destroy what we can’t and leave with the personnel.” She touched Gray’s arm. “Please,
Surely, four of us can take these guys down but I didn’t think they came in such force. Six ships? What are they doing?
“I had the pilots on standby,” Revente said. “They’ll be out in less than five minutes.”
“God bless you for being prepared,” Adam said, reporting the news to the captain.
“Excellent.” Gray nodded. “How’s the Crystal Font?”
“They’ve powered up weapons and are moving to engage,” Olly answered. “The enemy has scanned us but so far, none have disengaged to meet us.”
“We’re too far to matter,” Clea said. She stood. “We need to push it if we’re going to help those alliance ships. They’re being obliterated!”
“Full power to the engines,” Gray said. “Drop the speed when the fighters are ready to launch. We’ll come in tight and give them a broadside.”
Redding tapped the controls. The engines powered up, humming throughout the ship as they accelerated. Adam joined Gray, leaning close.
“We should use the Protocol Seven,” he said. “It’ll surprise them…we might not have time to save those other ships if we don’t.”
“We’re already a surprise,” Gray replied. “They had no idea we were coming.”
“Six on four aren’t even odds,” Adam pressed. “If we don’t use everything at our disposal, we won’t win this.”
“What’s that?” Gray pointed at the screen, gesturing at the planet. “Do you see those flashes?”
“On it.” Olly read something before answering. “It seems the enemy has landed a fairly large contingency of troops. They’re in the midst of a nasty battle with planetary defense forces. Man, they’re shelling each other!”
“I need to speak to Anthar Ru’Xin,” Gray said. “Get him on the line.”
Kale appeared on the screen. “Captain,” he said. “It seems our simple mission has taken a turn for the complicated.”
“They’ve got troops on the planet,” Gray replied. “That sounds like they want something to me.”
“Indeed, I suspect they intend to take our research.” Kale frowned. “We won’t make short work of these battleships but we must extract our scientists. If we cannot save the data, it must be destroyed. Whatever happens, the enemy cannot take that facility.”
“We can shell it,” Adam announced. “Pulverize it from orbit.”
Clea stood in a rush, her face flush with uncharacteristic passion. “And murder all those people?”
“Denying the enemy that research is the most important thing, isn’t it?” Adam asked.
“No,” Clea replied firmly. “No, it is not. Captain, I will personally lead a strike force to the surface to get the data, and the people, out of there. Just give me the word and we’ll prepare right now.”
“A small force isn’t going to help down there.” Adam gestured to the planet. “There’s no way.”
“That’s precisely what we need,” Clea snapped. “We can get there undetected, download any data we can, destroy what we can’t and leave with the personnel.” She touched Gray’s arm. “Please,
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