Part 14

“Ah Dah Dah Dah Do!
Do Dah Dah Dah Do
Say Dah Dah Do
Say Dah Dah Do”
Red is not a warship captains favourite colour. Any shade is wrong, perhaps the worst of all is flashing crimson; and right now it was highlighting the area map set to track the Sterateel support vessel. There was activity and there was movement.
Captain Freddie and Van Gehan were out into the bridge stones in hand without being called. Barely a note of the alarms sounded before Ko-on knocked them off. The point was made. That awful noise was not needed. Instead Freddie grabbed his performance mike.
“All crew to combat ready, repeat all crew to combat ready”
All the information they needed was displayed on the front cinema and the tactical table.
There were eight contacts moving at speed, at very great acceleration for the convoy.
Cotolo made the confirmation.
“They are fighters, can’t tell you the load.”
“Thanks Cotolo” said the captain.
“Well”, said Van Gehan, “they don’t want you to get any rest”
“I expect you’re right. We did well on the first attack. Now they harry us and wear us down” said the captain.
The bridge was paused. Waiting for command. The fighters closed.
“Missiles rig to fire chasers. Main Cannons, open fire and keep firing. Put everything you can towards those fighters. Point defence, set long and close as they approach. Again, fill the sky with fire. Fighters to stand by. Don’t launch yet”, the captain looked round. The bridge was active, his orders being followed. “Cotolo - how long ?”
“Three minutes and twelve seconds on .. mark! sir”
“Thanks Cotolo, well Van, I think I’d better show you the guest cockpit”
“Thanks Freddie”
“Ok everyone, seal in for the fight”
One minute elapsed as the bridge crew, last as usual locked themselves in.
Another minute elapsed.The big guns opened fire. The point defences opened fire.
“Sir”, said Cotolo, “it looks as if they mean to by pass us this time and head for the freighters”
“Jolo, get us in their way”, said Freddie
“Moving us now sir”
The ship lurched and the familiar pressure of movement pushed into the crew.
The oddly powerful guns of the Smoking Fire opened up. She too started moving.
The chaser missiles, nearly fighters in their own right ripped out of their bays. Diving for the Sterateel.
The Sterateel were spiralling and flipping all over space, ellipses opening out spheres at there centre and each again with flaps and panels and protuberances that were all unique. Neither was identical. Although their shields flashed bright with impacts.
The chasers were firing close range pellets. The Sterateel were shooting blue dollops of spreading plasma. Space was alight with bright.
Then the fighters turned, broke formation and ran for home in eight different ways.
The chasers followed.
The Golden Chance and Smokeless Fuel did not.