Zein: The Homecoming by Graham J. Wood Page B

this there were many booths on the first deck and these were supplemented by numerous others on each side of each of the other decks. The Elanda effectively bristled with protection, but the overriding problem was there were too few trained gunners awakened from hyper-sleep to arm every one.
    Tyson settled into his seat with the command hologram immediately sensing him and surrounding his head witha series of monitors. The electronic pulses took a matter of nano seconds to align with his brainwaves, the guns fitting comfortably into his dry hands. He was ready. The guns just needed to be directed and then his mind would direct the firing. Zebulon had quietly observed the companions awake from their hyper-sleep and sensing the stirring of the magics within the young human he decided to stay with Tyson. He could easily fit in the booth in his wolf form and sat patiently beside Tyson.
    ‘Hi buddy, looks like I will need to wait for my breakfast,’ said Bailey, into the communication link, laughing. Tyson wasn’t listening; his mind was in a different zone waiting for someone or something he could destroy.
    ‘You just have a one track mind dear brother,’ Gemma retorted.
    ‘Well I do have other vices, don’t I, Belina,’ smirked Bailey. Belina, who was hooked up like the others to the communication network, blushed.
    ‘Soldiers, can I just remind you to keep your eyes on what is in front of you and cut unnecessary chatter,’ said the powerful voice of General Corder, cutting across the banal discussion.
    Kabel smiled at the banter and joined in the fun with his co-pilot in the cockpit of the impressive Cobra. The co-pilot was Sean Lambert who was providing the support on manning the aft weapons console, which like the anti-ship guns on the Elanda was operated by thoughts. Sean was one of the humans who had supported Kabel during the last three months, refusing to accept the hyper-sleep option. He and Kabel had grown to respect and enjoy each other’s company and Kabel welcomed the light relief that broke the monotony of the journey.
    ‘Cobra Ten can you read me,’ said Kabel, searching through the hundred Cobra fix wing strike aircraft.
    The unhurried and calm voice of Hechkle, who was supported by Bronstorm, came back in acknowledgment, ‘Kabel, I mean Lord Blackstone, we are ready, as you humans say it, to kick ass,’ in a monotone flat response.
    ‘Just make sure you look after my back, you Fathom reprobates and no shirking off for some sightseeing,’ said Kabel, jokingly.
    ‘Ready to launch Sir,’ said Lieutenant Michaels to General Corder.
    ‘Launch in squads of ten, Lieutenant.’ The soldier acknowledged the order and his hands ran over the array of lights in front of him. General Corder was tense but knew that this was what he had been trained for.
    As the Cobras were catapulted out from their launch bays into the blackness he felt a surge of pride. The first human to command a battle in space , he thought. His chest poked out with pride before he admonished himself. Focus , man, focus . ‘Sir, there they are…,’ said Lieutenant Michaels, his voice petering out, as he and everyone else on the ship followed the approach of the marauding ships towards the flotilla at incredible speed. The ships were considerably smaller than the two escorting destroyers but the Cobras were dwarfed by their size.
    ‘Xonian scum,’ said one of the Zeinonian navigators. The puzzled General Corder asked how he knew they were Xonian ships. ‘You see the four wings each with four torpedo launchers.’ General Corder looked harder at the fancy “X” shape of the ships which attached to a black, gnarled and ribbed main body. He picked up the menacing torpedo launchers. He nodded his head. ‘Well, in our training they went through the ships in our databases that held records of all known space fighters and this type of ship was included in the lists and it is an Xonian ship called a Vening,’ said the experienced