“Keep the camera on me,” she yelled to Carlos.
Horace activated, speaking quietly, “The hull has sustained non-critical damaged from a type-31 torpedo in the left rear sector. I’m activating the particle shields now, ion shields on standby. Enemy at zero percent radar visibility.”
“My homing missiles are useless without a signature,” Bert said, “Are they far away, or do the bastards just have damn good cloaking?”
“I’m detecting light energy anomalies in the vicinity,” Horace said, “but the error margin is within fifty thousand kilometers. I’ll activate the anti-cloak field if you wish.”
“Do it,” Bert said. “We can’t afford to quibble about the energy loss.”
Fade gripped the steering rod, sending his cruiser down a forty degree incline. The blast of the thrust was felt as a tiny push.
“When will the field be ready?” Fade asked.
“I don’t even know if it’ll work properly,” Bert said, “I never properly checked the installation. Didn’t have time.”
“Magnificent,” Fade said, “Horace, plot our course every two kilometers, and keep bearing. Switch to visual identification and keep your eyes peeled.”
Horace’s cameras found their marks quickly “Five visual anomalies in the star field, I can’t use this information for the weapons.”
“We’ll just have to aid your eyes,” Bert said, “Horace, engage all hull cameras.”
Karen stood, pressing her face close to her broadcast camera.
“This is incredible,” Karen yelled, “The Imminent Destruction is under attack by enemy warships, and it seems the enemy has the initiative. We’ve been completely surprised. A blast was heard, I repeat a blast was heard from the back of the ship. The damage is light, but anything could happen. We’ll continue to broadcast as long as possible.”
“What is the pilot doing to counter the enemy activity?” Tom asked.
“Anti-cloaking field activated,” Horace said, “You can thank Destiny later, she finished verifying the system.”
The enemy vessels were old destroyers of Imperial design, with a few modifications suited to pirate fighting styles. Their long, sleek, black surfaces blended with the emptiness of space. The elongated fronts had rounded caverns serving as chambers for two particle machine guns mounted on each side. The central hub held the crew compartments; directly underneath it was a one hundred millimeter particle cannon, the only heavy weapon.
“Pirates?” Fade said, as soon as the new signals came through, “What are pirates doing attacking a mercenary cruiser?”
“This is no time for ponderin’ captain!” Bert yelled, “Torpedoes ready.”
“Get a target lock, we still don’t have a good radar signal so use the visual sights,” Fade commanded, “Horace, lay down suppressive fire with the main cannons.”
The nodules in the Imminent Destruction’s hull opened and the heavy beam cannons extended. Able to swing three-hundred and sixty degrees, they fired while rotating, aiming energy beams of neon purple within the enemy formation without recoiling. They fired every second, moving so quickly it seemed the cannons themselves were chasing the enemy. A pirate destroyer exploded, spewing black metal and heated gases.
“Take that!” Bert said.
“The Imminent Destruction seems to be under attack by pirates,” Karen said, “We’ve already taken some kind of evasive action. I believe the particle thrusters are maneuvering the ship. Wait, they’re getting homing torpedoes ready to fire. The Imminent Destruction is using an anti-cloaking field generator, though I think it needs more time to gain radar locks.”
“Karen,” came the voice from the studio. “Are you safe? Do you know why the pirates are attacking?”
"I got two more on visual,” Bert yelled, “they’re movin’ all over the place.”
The pirate formation loosened, flying circles around the Imminent Destruction to within mere meters of its hull. The cruiser’s beam cannons, which were a danger to their own ship at such close ranges, stopped firing, giving way to ten-millimeter laser guns which proved ineffective.
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The light dispersal shields of the pirate ships converted the lasers into scattered rays of visible light. Two destroyers positioned themselves before the front of the Imminent Destruction’s hull, brazenly firing regular physical munitions into the face of the cruiser. The Imminent Destruction swept down in an attempt to gain distance for its beam cannons, but the destroyers proved too nimble; they moved with it, keeping free of the cannon’s trajectory.
More lead hit the Imminent Destruction’s backside, so it changed direction again and attempted to ram those pirates that chipped away at the sensitive thrusters. The strategy failed. Before the Imminent Destruction pulled back, the pirate destroyers had cleared the space as if by instinct. The retreating pirates fired particle cannons and the Imminent Destruction’s basic electro-gravitational shield fluttered as its strength waned. Titanium pieces fragmented from the cruiser’s surface, activating Ion shields which siphoned further strength from the weapons.
The destroyers were undeterred by the mercenary cruiser’s robust defenses. They launched three stubby torpedoes with short rounded fins, basic DXL heat seekers were specially programmed not to target the other pirate ships. The Imminent Destruction dove upwards before releasing heated plasma that prematurely exploded the first torpedo. Then it turned in a loop to avoid particle cannon fire and another torpedo. A shift backwards, along with the release of chaff from the front, fooled the third. The fourth, which achieved a perfect lock on its target, was destroyed by an application of fire from the beam cannon.
“Goin’ more defensive and lowerin’ the power on the cannons has stolen their thunder. Now it’s our turn to show’em some close combat. I’ll aim our torpedoes manually,” Bert said, adjusting groups of targets over his visual screens as he typed at the console. “They’re com’in at us from behind and from the front in double formations. The two in back are so close together I can hit’em both with one shot.”
“Fire a volley, then hit them with the good stuff. Fire into the rear formation first,” Fade said, “They’ve shown skill, we can’t underestimate them.”
The C11 torpedoes were basic models; they would travel on straight trajectories to their target. They flew directly toward the destroyer formation to the rear, only to pass the nimble vessels and self-destruct. Two C21 heat seekers followed their flanks in the cover of their matter trail. These smaller models had powerful chemical explosives in the glowing green bulbs at their tips. For maximum effect, the computers inside the C21 would decide the shape, timing and force of any explosion.
The black destroyers moved to the sides as the C21s approached, releasing countermeasures in the empty center point of their hollow formation. The wave of heated particles fooled the C21’s directly into the trap, where an electro-magnetic pulse ball in the midst of the chaff disabled their computers, causing premature detonations. The enemy warships came through without a scratch, and sped for the Imminent Destruction’s flank.
“Evasive action; lower-right slope, negative twenty four degrees,” Fade said as his fist pounded the consul.
“I don’t know why the pirate vessels are attacking,” Karen reported, “but we’ve been forced to take evasive action until we can get a better radar picture.”
“Enemy from the sides,” Bert said, “they’re closin’ in on our cannon, dodgin’ all its shots; we’re not even shakin’ the ships in the rear. Are they psychic or sometin?”
Three pirate destroyers unleashed one-hundred-millimeter particle beams directly into the Imminent Destruction’s northeast cannon. The barrel cracked at its base, breaking off from an explosion that spewed glowing fragments.
The control room heated to a nearly sauna like state. Horace announced the situation would correct itself, but by the time the temperature cooled everyone was perspiring. Fade swiped at the sweat running from his cap, keeping his eyes on the visual. More destroyers surrounded the Imminent Destruction, a total of twelve within visual range. At least two destroyers posted guard on every side, each fewer than a thousand kilometers away. The lead destroyer approached within ten meters of the Imminent Destruction’s front spike and matched speed.
“Damage report,” Fade said.
“Beam Cannon one destroyed,” Horace responded, “Evasive maneuvers ineffective. Anti-boarding defenses ready.”
“We’ve lost a cannon,” Karen reported, “This looks like the beginning of the end, Tom. The control room was like an oven only a moment ago.”
The communication screen flashed with a message from the pirates. The bridge of the pirate vessel was dark, only red indicator lights and the captain’s panel allowed for sight. A man with a clean-shaven head adjusted dark shades.
“Hello, Captain Defacto. Is it cooling down in there yet?” he said, his voice a deeply harmonic bass. “I’ve an offer you can’t refuse, give us your cruiser and we won’t terminate your crew.”
“I’m surprised,” Fade said “you actually have the guts to outnumber someone who can shoot back. What bought about the sudden change in operations? Unarmed prey losing profitability, or have mercenaries become that popular?”
“Not even interested in my name, eh? Well, you’re popular enough to be worth my time. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other soon enough. Don’t try anything funny; I know your every move, so there’s no chance of out maneuvering my Black Hawks. You fought well under the circumstances. Surrender now and nobody else has to die.”
“Who hired you?” Fade said, “The Buldethians, The Spirit Guild, who?”
“Ten seconds and we all fire,” the man said, “Your shields can only take two direct hits.”
“We’ll prepare to surrender,” Fade said.
Bert leaned back from the radar and sighed as Karen turned from the camera and threw off her ear phones.
“I need a few minutes to get everybody together,” Fade said, “Are you happy now, you’re no ordinary pirates, you’re enemies of the Imperial Senate.”
He turned to Bert, speaking harshly, “Prepare our surrender procedure.”
“We ain’t got a surrender proceedin’,” Bert yelled back.
“Then make one!”
The pirate captain laughed, “Very good, we’ll collect your personnel and drop them into Swauolie. You will remain as our esteemed guest. I hope you consider it a fair compromise. We’ll be sending a special crew to board.”
“Understood,” Fade said.
The screen faded.