Part Three (cont.)
On the Deva Wing:
While Breakwater and Fathom Left were escorting General Bartleby and his convoy of dropships, Commander Madden was considering his options. Minimum shields, two plasma cannons, and a destroyed torpedo bay. His communications officers were unable to contact Arassil or her spy, although they were fairly certain she is on the planet’s surface in the region known as the Dalelands.
Plasma fire from the two imperial battle cruisers rocked the Deva Wing again and again. Lt. Railer was using all the power at his disposal, both magical and technological, to keep the failing carrier’s shields operational. Madden hadn’t ordered to return fire, hoping to save his plasma cannons for a closer shot. He’d damage at least one battle cruiser before they knocked out the shields and boarded his ship. If they got lucky they might damage the bridge of one of them.
“Why aren’t they bombarding us, Commander.” Railer seemed confused by the Imperials tactics. “They could wipe us out with one volley of torpedo fire.”
“They wish to board and capture us, Lieutenant. Not destroy us. They will start by flanking us on both sides with their main plasma batteries trained upon the bridge and engineering. If we show any sort of real resistance then they will destroy us.”
“We’re not just going to let them take us, are we Commander.” Railer didn’t like the direction the conversation was going.
“No, we’re not.” Madden went through all the scenarios in his head, looking for a way out of the current situation. “Lieutenant, what is the status of the starcaster?”
“It’s currently offline, Commander.” Railer raised an eyebrow as to ask what Madden was thinking.
“What about the secondary drive?” Madden had an idea. It was just crazy enough to work.
“The secondary drive is operational, sir. I must remind you it is completely experimental and never been tested.”
“Yes,” Madden watched as the two Imperial battle cruisers did what he expected them to. They moved to flank the Deva Wing with their weapons posed to destroy the League carrier if Madden ordered the ship’s gunners to fire back. “I realize the risks, Lieutenant.”
“Sir,” Ensign Badier was working both his and Ensign Bavre stations as best he could from a jury-rigged secondary station. “I don’t understand. Are we going to abandon the planet and the Victory?”
“No, Ensign. I have something else planned. The Imperials will give us a chance to surrender, Badier, and I plan to use that to our advantage. Railer, be ready to divert all shield power to the secondary drive when I drop the shields.”
“Sir, the captain of the Firewurm wishes to speak with you about whether we are going to surrender or not.”
“All right people, no one say anything and try to look defeated. Patch him through, Ensign.” Madden felt a knot tying in his gut.
“No problem,” Ensign Badier tapped a keypad on his makeshift console and a dry, crackling voice came over the Comm and the image of the Imperial Brigade captain flickered on the damaged vid-screen.
“This is Captain Simon Bleaker of the Pirate Brigade battle cruiser, Firewurm. I demand your immediate surrender or we will destroy your vessel and crew. Drop your shields and prepare to be boarded. ”
“We have several of your soldiers captive, Captain. I am more than willing to negotiate their return to you, as well as our surrender. What assurances do I have that you won’t destroy us if I drop our shields?”
“You will return our crewmen and surrender immediately or we will begin firing. You have five seconds. Five – four…”
Commander Madden knew the captain would react as he did. Imperial vessels do not negotiate unless they are the ones hard pressed. Madden waited until Captain Bleaker reached two then touched the keypad in front of him dropping the shields but not the teleport suppressor.
“Do it now, Railer!”
“Yes sir!” Railer activated the secondary drive.
“Ensign, cut that bastard off.” Madden made several keystrokes on the keypad of the console in front of him. “And order the gunners to fire at the bridge of the Firewurm. I’ve given them all the energy I can.”
“Yes sir,” Badier cut off the transmission just as Captain Bleaker began screaming that he’d personally cutoff all their heads. “The batteries are firing now.”
Commander Madden watched through the glassteel windows of the bridge as his gunners locked on and fired directly into the Firewurm’s bridge shields. The damage to the battle cruiser would be minor but damaging them hadn’t been the goal. Madden timed his next command with the first volley of plasma fire from the two battle cruisers.
“Activate the drive! Do it now, Railer!”
Railer tapped his console’s keypad to activate the drive just as the first volley of plasma fire streaked towards the Deva Wing.
* * *