Defiant (The Mythrar War Book 4) Page 20

  "Harm as in how? As far as I’m aware, your ship is still fully functional."

  "I can't speak as to what your fighter damaged, but it is allowing my ship and crew to function on our own. I suspect the Mythrar had something in that area of the ship affecting our minds."

  "You expect me to believe you've been mind-controlled this entire time?" Flannigan turned towards the workers in the background, seeming as if she'd had enough of the conversation.

  "Admiral, I don't pretend to know what happened to us. I will admit I joined the fleet back on Earth for reasons that are my own. For everything it was, I promise it wasn't to find the rest of my people and do this."

  "You have a strange way of showing it." She turned to a young man sitting at what looked to be the main terminal of the station. "Have your battle groups continue focusing on the flagship. Have them aim at the communications array. See if Captain Miller is telling the truth."

  "Sir," the young man nodded before returning his attention to his screen.

  "I've already damaged Flagship Trintod in the center. If you focus your attention on the hole I've created, I'll open a crater in the last."

  "What if I decide to target the hole we created in your vessel, Captain? I know firsthand the damage we can inflict in a space half as large."

  Miller pursed his lips. He'd half been expecting that to happen but had hoped to keep his crew alive by sharing the information.

  The thing was, he wasn't sure how reliable that information would be. Sure, the human inhabitants of the other flagships would come out of their daze, but what about the others? The Klyptons, as he had seen, weren't so easily cowed. As far as he knew, the other alien species aboard the third flagship could be immune as well. They might also take the opportunity to strike out on their own. If that was the case, there was no telling how they would take it. He knew it was in his best interests to do what he could to destroy that ship before they had that opportunity.

  "Do as you must," he replied. "But I suggest you give me enough time to open a hole in the last ship for you. Our antimatter beam has more kick than your weapons." Giving that information to the humans would cost him his life if the Mythrar won, but he didn't care. They deserved to know everything about their enemy.

  Their true enemy.

  "Fine," she said, fists balled at her side. "But when this is over I expect you to relinquish control of the flagship to us."

  "Done," he said, almost too fast. He needed to say more before she got suspicious. "The secrets this ship holds will be key to bringing the Mythrar down."

  "We will see about that." Flannigan turned, and the screen went black.

  The crew stared at him, waiting for instructions. "Focus our attention on Flagship Sventna. Target the communications array."

  Robbins nodded, allowing a grin to form on her face. Before she could relay the order down to the weapon's team, Flagship Sventna fired its antimatter beam. It lanced into the front of their ship. Explosions sounded from the lower decks, causing the deck plates to rumble below his feet. An alarm sounded from Robbins' terminal shortly after. He didn't need to ask to know what had been hit.

  If he wanted to prove his sincerity to Admiral Flannigan and the humans, he needed to be true to his word. Without access to the antimatter beam, he only had one thing capable of destroying the communications array.

  The ship itself.

  He bit his lower lip then sighed. "Take us ahead, full speed. Aim the front of the ship toward the communications array."

  Robbins stared at him incredulously. "Sir, that might destroy our ship."

  "And so will their antimatter beam. Considering our present situation, death may be our better option. We have no idea what Flannigan and the humans will do to us after the fight, but we know full well what the Mythrar are capable of. If I'm going to die, I'd just as soon go out on our terms."

  Robbins pursed her lips, then nodded. "Collision course set. Hopefully, there is enough of the ship left to do some damage to it when we get there."

  "If not, it will be one hell of a show." Miller sat back in his chair and fastened his restraints. Robbins and the remaining bridge crew did the same. Here we go, he thought as Flagship Sventna loomed ever closer.

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  New Earth Sector

  Bridge, NECS Reliant

  "Are you watching this?" Wellard asked of no one in particular. Of course everyone was watching. How could you ignore a flagship turning on its fleet?

  Before anyone on the bridge could react, a green beam lanced out from the furthest flagship and into the traitor. The massive ship seemed to lurch with the impact, even as explosions buffeted the front of the ship.

  The traitorous flagship seemed to adjust its course before every light on the ship went dark. Wellard scanned aft and saw even the thrusters were out. And just like that, their savior was gone.

  He was about to bark orders to the crew when he noticed the ship's new trajectory. Unless the other flagship could move, the two ships would collide with disastrous results.

  "What is the status of the second flagship?" Wellard asked.

  "The fleet is hitting the hole the first flagship made with everything it has," Wilson replied.

  "Sensors have detected a gravitational spike on the flagship. Our knowledge of the flagships is limited, but I believe…" Before Ritter could finish, the flagship exploded, oversaturating the viewscreen. When the image returned two minutes later all that remained was an enormous debris field.

  "And then there was one. Wilson, send word to the rest of the battle group to engage the remaining flagship, but have them hang back in case the collision does more than I expect it to."

  Wilson nodded and hailed the rest of the battle group.

  Anticipating Wellard's next command, Price punched in commands on her console, moving the Reliant to the front of the group.

  With the loss of two flagships, the battle had stabilized for the NEC. There were still dozens of Mythrar ships to deal with, but it seemed without the cover of the flagships, they didn't have the same fight in them as before. It suited Wellard that they'd backed out since at least some of those ships were crewed by other humans. It meant those that were still left were controlled by the Klyptons, and to him, they all deserved to die.

  "Sir, the surviving flagship still hasn't moved. Miller's flagship will collide with it in less than a minute," Ritter said, glancing up from her screen.

  "Tell the fleet to hang back. I want to see what it does."

  Sensing the potential danger, the members of the other battle groups pulled away from the flagship. Those too damaged to get away continued pounding the massive craft with everything they had, though it did little to penetrate the ship's armor.

  A minute later, sparks erupted from the impact point as the two flagships collided. Pillars of flame and debris spouted into the void from the crater. The impact caused the surviving flagship to list heavily to the stern as the momentum of the collision pushed the nose away from the NEC lines.

  The scene lasted less than a minute, but when it was over, Miller's crippled flagship floated away from the planet, leaving an enormous hole in its wake.

  Flannigan's voice boomed over the comm. "All ships, fire everything you have into the remaining flagship. Show those bastards what happens when they try to take our home."

  Wellard stood and pointed at the screen. "You heard the admiral. Fire."

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  New Earth Sector

  CIC, New Earth Station

  The NEC ships closest to the remaining flagship fired. Hundreds of rounds and nearly as many laser beams lanced into the target. Some bounced harmlessly off the hull, but plenty found their mark. Soon, sensor readouts confirmed a massive gravitational distortion coming from the flagship; the same readings they had before when the first flagship exploded.

  Flannigan placed a hand on Jason's shoulder and smiled.

  Cheers erupted in the CIC as the last flagship exploded in a mas
sive fireball that was quickly muted by the vacuum of space. Bremerton refused to join the cheers, knowing they still had plenty of hard work ahead of them. Not only did they have to deal with rescue and recovery operations in the coming days, there was also the matter of the EU fleet closing in. If it was here in support of the Mythrar, they would have their hands full in the coming hours.

  "Open a sector-wide channel," Flannigan ordered. She waited for word that the channel was open before she continued. "All Mythrar ships, this is Admiral Flannigan of the New Earth Coalition. Unlike your leaders, the last of which we just destroyed, we are giving you a chance to survive. Power down everything unnecessary for life support on your ships and stand down. You have two minutes to comply." She pressed her hand against her console, cutting the transmission.

  "You think they will take you up on it?" Bremerton asked.

  "If they don't, we'll finish what they started."

  "Admiral," Dashine interrupted. "We're receiving a transmission from the EU ships. They are asking for you by name."

  Flannigan and Bremerton glanced at each other for an instant before returning their gazes to the screen.

  "Put it on." Flannigan stood up straight as if she was refusing to let even one ounce of her weariness show on the screen.

  "Admiral Flannigan, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Admiral Callum Whitehead of the EUS Galileo. We may be late, but we're here to help."

  Flannigan allowed the beginnings of a smile to form at the corner of her mouth and Bremerton allowed himself to relax.

  It was over. It was actually over. It had taken huge amounts of grit and tons of personal sacrifice, but they had done it. The Mythrar forces had been defeated.

  Jason watched the screen, taking it all in. The first of the rogue ships powered down as the surviving NEC ships surrounded them. More followed in the next few moments until most of the remaining ships went dark. Those that remained were quickly destroyed once the countdown was complete.

  "We've been tracking the movement of that fleet for weeks now. Saw one flagship break off and head towards Russian space, so we bolstered our defenses at Edinburgh. Figured they would send one or two our way. When they didn't arrive, we figured they had something else in mind."

  Flannigan nodded. "The destruction of the NEC and occupation of New Earth." Admiral Whitehead bowed his head and opened his mouth to apologize until Flannigan cut him off. "There is nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you are here. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of our people are stuck out there in the void. We could use a hand with SAR operations over the next few days."

  Whitehead nodded. "Consider it done. We'll set up an FOB on the gate side of the station. Just make sure your people know we're on the same team."

  "My colleague is sending the transmission as we speak."

  Bremerton nodded, as he typed the text transmission he intended to send in the coming moments. He pressed the command to send, then looked back at Flannigan. "There is the issue of Miller's flagship."

  "I know this may be asking for a lot, but there is one more thing you could do for us, Admiral."

  "Name it."

  "The intact flagship floating away from the battle is crewed by humans from Earth. Something we did to the ship allowed the human crew to take full control of the ship and help. If it wasn't for them, you would've arrived to find us broken against the planet."

  "Say no more. I'll send ten of my best captains to search the ship and bring it to a halt. If anyone is alive, we will bring them to you."

  Flannigan seemed to soften. Then, to Jason's surprise, she actually smiled. "Thank you. I'll be in touch."

  Jason allowed himself to lean back in his chair. "You think they are for real?"

  She shrugged. "I sure hope so. We don't have the ships to repel their fleet now." She pulled out her seat and sat next to him. "Honestly, I'm more concerned about their motives."

  "Sir?"

  "Why are they here? As much as I want to believe the savior story, there has to be something else in play. Why else would they show up now, out of all times?"

  Jason wanted to speak up for the EU and tell her she was overreacting, but part of him admitted she might be right. It was somewhat suspicious that they would show up now after the battle was won, instead of hours earlier when they could've used a hand. This was especially true after the conflicts of the previous months.

  "You have a point," he admitted, finally. "I suppose we'll learn their motives soon enough."

  "Indeed, we will." She patted his hand twice and gave him a thoughtful smile. "But for now, we have a lot of work to do."

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  New Earth Sector

  Hallway Outside Main Sickbay, NECS Reliant

  Brendan Richards gingerly stepped through the mass of cots sitting in the hallway outside of the Reliant's main sickbay. Three medics made their way through the gathered patients as he passed, checking on each person in turn.

  Most of the wounded had minor wounds. Primarily cuts or scrapes from falling debris, or the occasional broken bone. Considering the damage to the ship, and the fleet, casualties were minimal. Early estimates he'd seen put the number to a third of the crew, though he knew the final report wouldn't be compiled for hours or even days. On more than one occasion, however, he passed an occupied cot covered with a sheet. Blood soaked through most, a grim reminder of the realities of war.

  His heart dropped with every body he passed. He knew Tegan had made it back into the flight deck alive, but he hadn't heard anything since. The lack of information drove him mad, even as he was forced to focus on his job. Never before had he gone through anything like it. God willing, he never would again.

  Richards made his way through the hallway twice, each pass hoping he'd find her smiling at him from a cot, but it wasn't the case. Part of him, the irrational part, wanted to rip the cloth off the fallen, to see if she was one of the lost. His mind told him it was the logical thing to do. Why else had she failed to contact him since returning to the ship? After all, they'd spent most of the battle in close communication.

  Thankfully, the logical side won out. If something had happened to her, someone would've told him. In that case, the lack of information likely meant everything was fine. Maybe she's back in her room, or getting some chow, he thought.

  The door to sickbay opened with a whir as he turned to head down the hallway. Instinctively, he turned his head to look. Walking through the door was a younger man, barely a day over twenty if Brendan had to guess. The kid's uniform was cut in a handful of places, exposing the pale skin underneath. Amazingly, the kid didn't seem to look hurt.

  On closer inspection, Richards noticed the insignia on the kid's shoulder. He was a pilot.

  Richards turned to face the pilot as the kid stepped around the mass of cots in the hall. He intercepted him a few meters away from the main hallway.

  "Lieutenant," Brendan allowed his eyes to drift to the kid's nameplate, "Hart. I'm looking for someone. Your CAG. Have you seen her?"

  The kid tilted his head back towards the sickbay door. "She's in there with Doc Simmons. Took a nasty hit to the melon on the landing. Doc says she has a concussion and will be out for a while. At least a few days while they keep an eye out for swelling."

  Richards let out a relieved breath, even has his stomach twisted in his gut. Why hadn't he thought about checking inside sickbay instead of the halls? Was he afraid of finding her in critical condition, or worse? It was the answer he wanted to tell himself, but he wasn't sure it was true.

  He'd never gotten close to anyone before. Definitely not like that. Worry and fear racked him like never before, taking him to the edge of sanity before returning to normal once he realized everything would be OK. This can't be normal, he'd told himself more than once, only to learn it likely was.

  "Thank you," Richards said, sheepishly. He took a few steps towards sickbay, then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned back to the pilot.

  "I think I should be the one thanking you. Comm
ander Bradley said you were the one responsible for controlling the drones. It if wasn't for you, I wouldn't be alive."

  Richards opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. What did you say to something like that? A simple 'no problem' didn't seem appropriate. Neither did bragging about his abilities.

  In truth, the only reason he'd been able to gain control of the drones was because of the sacrifice of another pilot. A man whose name he had yet to learn.

  "Just doing my part." The words seemed cliche, but it was better than keeping quiet. Besides, that's all any of them had done. Their part. Some people were good at command, others at flying ships. And some were good at working on things, like him.

  Hart pursed his lips, then nodded. "I better let you go. She's been waiting for you." He slapped his hand on Richards' shoulder as he passed. Richards knew it was meant as a gesture of respect, but the act nearly brought him to tears. People like him weren't heroes. Heroes didn't hide behind computer terminals while their friends and colleagues died. They didn't watch the screens as ships exploded, helpless to lift a finger to assist the survivors.

  And they definitely didn't cry when thanked.

  Richards took in a few breaths, regaining his composure before entering sickbay. His eyes went to the back of the room. Tegan rested on a white plasteel bed. A device on her wrist monitored her vitals, projecting them on a terminal at the foot of the bed, while a separate unit attached to her head projected her brain waves to a second terminal.

  For a fleeting moment, he thought he should leave her to rest. That lasted until her eyes opened.