Devlin *EN*
Cadet
Terra Squadron
Joined: January 30, 2003
Posts: 4
From: Sea Beck Washington
|  Posted: 2004-02-07 23:22
Since my writing career is in the beginning stages, I thought I would post some stories here for your reading enjoyment. Hopefully I'll get some good criticism, there by improving my technique. So here’s the first of many, (hopefully!) Thanks in advance for all the kind words, and the not so kind. They all help.
Devlin
The bridge was dark and very quiet. Every non-essential system had been turned off to lower their signature and lessen the chance of their being detected. Even life support had been shut down for the last hour, making the bridge hot and muggy and adding to the crew’s tension. The threat of being discovered had several members of the bridge crew hovering over their controls, waiting to reactivate them if they needed to make a quick escape.
Jackie McCoy, or Captain Jack as her crew called her, stood highly focused beside the pilot’s chair. Every muscle in her small svelte frame was coiled tightly with excitement. She forced herself to maintain an outward appearance of calm, all the while her insides churned with nervous energy.
If her information was correct, the United Galactic Trade Organization was shipping some very valuable cargo through this system. By slaving multiple unmanned ships to one manned cargo ship, they hoped to disguise this making it appear like just another common cargo run. They blew it when they replaced the normal escort frigate with a much larger and more heavily armed destroyer. They didn’t even tell the crew’s which cargo ship carried this all-important cargo. Only the captain of the destroyer knew for sure.
Shifting her gaze from the forward view port to the pilot’s controls, she watched the unsuspecting cargo ship inch steadily closer. Her target was the last in a line of five.
She had waited for days, hanging in space with minimal systems active. Trying very hard to be a dark spot amongst the stars. She waited and watched for this convoy specifically. Once it had arrived, she and her crew spent another day getting in range undetected. Now the wait was over, the task was at hand.
The codes she had illegally purchased for this job had been sent hours ago. They should have shut off the cargo ships automated collision detection systems. Her fears about the codes being good proved to be unfounded when no signals were sent to the destroyer, warning of her approach.
“Intel, any sign they know we’re here?” she almost whispered.
“None.”
She leaned in close to the pilot, moving a loose strand of damp red hair behind her ear. Softly she spoke in his ear,
“Easy does it now Max. Not to add anymore pressure here, but you do know if you screw this up and we survive it, I’ll probably kill you myself.”
Max took a deep relaxing breath and endured his captain’s encouraging words for the thousandth time that hour. Like the sweat on his forehead, he replied, dripping with respectful sarcasm,
“Thanks skipper, I appreciate that.”
Her ship, the Fantasy, was much smaller then the enormous cargo ship. Placing it amidst the external cranes and support structures was a very tricky thing. Any mistake from the pilot would seriously hamper her mission. Not wanting anything to happen to her beloved ship, she practically itched to take the controls.
The two ships pulled to within meters of each other. One completely unaware the other was directly above it.
“Ok, stand by Jumpers.” She spoke into the comm. panel on the pilot’s consol.
She looked at a monitor showing the cargo hold of the Fantasy, full of men in armored EVA suits. She envied them their temperature controlled self-contained environments.
“Everyone ready?” she asked.
A double burst of static from the intercom panel told her the Jumpers were set. She looked around the bridge and received affirming nods from crewmembers at all stations.
Thinking to herself, she was about to perpetrate the most daring and dangerous heist in her entire career. To raid an individual cargo or transport ship was one thing, but to sneak into a convoy, right under the nose of a heavily armed escort and rob them blind, that was completely different. If they were caught, it would mean life in prison if they were lucky, death for all of them if they weren’t. With one word she set it all in motion. All she said was,
“Go.”
She watched the Jumpers launch themselves through the cargo bay door. Switching to an external view, she watched them use the small thrusters built into their suits to descend gently to the hull of the cargo ship. She marveled at their swift, graceful movements. Like ballet dancers each preformed a specific task in the cold silence of space.
Timing here was paramount. The Jumpers were to disable the cargo haulers power systems exactly one second before the Fantasy took control. This was the amount of time it took the normal sensors to complete a sweep and start again. Too soon and her ship would appear as a second contact on some sensor operator’s screen. Too late and that screen would loose contact with the cargo hauler. Either way, it was bound to get someone’s attention.
The lead Jumper carefully made is way to the rear of the cargo ship. He located the external control panel he sought and dropped to one knee beside it. He entered an access code on a keypad and watched the panel silently slide out of sight. What he saw then did not make him happy. He keyed his suits comm. system.
“Captain Jack, we have a problem here.”
Jackie felt a cold spike of fear stab through her. She spoke into the comm. panel.
“What have you got Lead?”
She could hear the frustration in his voice when he responded.
“This whole system’s been modified. It’s certainly not the one we were told it would be.”
“Can you still disable it?”
For several seconds there was only static. The cold spike in her gut was quickly growing into a web that extended itself to other members of the bridge crew.
“Yes ma’am I can. But I’ll have to do it manually.”
“How long will that take?”
“At least ten seconds, minimum.”
Jackie felt the floor falling out from under her. This was bad, even a rookie Intel Officer would notice a ten second drop in power. Surely they would investigate. She looked to her own Intel Officer and asked,
“How long would it take that destroyer to get here?”
“If they go into a maximum burn, including their turnaround time, maybe twenty minutes.” He said.
“Stand by Lead.” She ordered.
She began to pace the small expanse of deck plating behind the pilot’s chair. “Think!” she scolded herself. She turned to face the bridge crew and said.
“Well, my grandmother always use to say, “Any plan worth it’s weight in spit is changeable on the fly.” I need options people and I need them fast.”
She looked at each of the crew. Pausing briefly to see their eyes, she became very proud when not one of them suggested they abandon the job. Her gaze stopped on the engineer, who’s brow had wrinkled together showing his concentration.
“Charlie, what are you thinking?”
The engineer looked back with a child like grin, quite pleased with himself.
“What about a decoy?”
“How would you do that?” Jackie asked.
“I could rig a small sensor suite to broadcast our signature, just like what we are going to do for the cargo ship. I could strap it to a missile or torpedo and program it to fly in the opposite direction.”
The IO asked, “Wouldn’t they pick up a missile launch?”
“Not if I delay the ignition sequence and throw it out an airlock.” Charlie answered.
Jackie stared at her engineer. She always had been glad she picked him up for her crew, now even more so.
“I love it.” She said.
When Charlie didn’t move, she waved him away.
“So get on it, and do it quickly if you please.”
She turned back to the pilot’s comm. panel as Charlie ran from the bridge.
“Lead, stand by to disable the power supply.”
“Roger that.”
She paused for a moment, taking deep breath.
“On my mark… Now! Give us a hard lock.” She almost shouted.
The Fantasy sprang to life as dormant systems were reactivated. The bridge that had been quiet for the long hours of their ballistic approach was now a calliope of noise and blinking lights. Max settled the Fantasy onto the hull of the cargo ship and secured it with retractable magnetic clamps.
Jackie closed her eyes, relishing the cool breeze created as the air scrubbers removed stale humid air from the bridge. Silently she counted the seconds, anticipating the lead Jumper’s report. She made it to eighteen before it came.
“Systems down.” Was exactly what she wanted to hear.
Almost before the report was finished she ordered,
“Broadcast now.”
***
The sensor operator aboard the UGTO destroyer Prometheus replayed the sensor log for the third time.
“Yep, no mistake there it is.” He said to himself.
He ran a quick systems check, because he knew that prick of an Intelligence Officer would ask if he had. When it was complete he turned and called to the IO.
“Sir, you may want to take a look at this.”
The IO casually strolled over to the sensor station. His immaculate uniform, so stiff with starch it almost squeaked when he walked. It matched his personality perfectly.
“What is it now?” he asked with a sigh.
“Sir, the number five cargo ship had a major drop in power over roughly twenty seconds.”
The IO leaned in for a closer view of the operator’s screen. Satisfied he stood up straight and said looking down his nose.
“I don’t see a problem. Your current readings show it to be fine."
“That’s just it sir, the power dropped off slowly then all the sudden, it was back.”
“Did you…”
“Yes sir, I ran a systems check before I called you.” The operator cut him off.
“Very well,” the IO said. “Give me a copy of your log and I will report it.”
The sensor operator downloaded his log to a data disk and handed it to the IO.
“Good, now run a complete diagnostic on your station.” He ordered. “Make sure there are no mechanical errors.” He said snatching the disk. He turned and made his way across the Prometheus’s bridge to the Command Duty Officer.
***
Several minutes later, Jackie looked across the bridge and asked her IO.
“What’s our status?”
“We are online and in sync. Everything is showing green.” The IO reported. “We should be able to hold this level of broadcast for thirty minutes before we burn out the emitters.”
“Roget that, thirty minutes.” She said.
She switched channels on the comm. panel then leaned in to speak.
“Charlie, how are we doing back there?”
“Not as well as I had hoped Captain Jack.”
Hanging her head, she thought, what else could go wrong?
“The missile doesn’t have enough internal power to broadcast enough of a signal. We’re trying to figure out how to boost it.” Charlie’s voice came over the speaker.
“Oh for hell’s sake,” she snapped. Slapping the comm. panel she continued. “Well strap a battery on it if you have to. I need that decoy in less then thirty minutes.”
“Roger that Captain.”
Jackie looked out the main view port. With a predatory smile she said, “Right then, let’s do this thing.”
***
The Prometheus’s IO made no haste in bringing the sensor operators findings to the attention of the CDO.
“I’m sure it’s probably nothing.” He stated confidently.
The smug look on his face fell away and his over confidence shattered as the CDO reviewed the data then glared at him.
“You fool.” He shouted. “Why did you delay this?”
Visibly shaken, the IO stumbled backwards. His fumbled excuse was all but ignored by the CDO as he spoke into the command chairs comm. panel.
“Captain to the bridge, code Alpha. I repeat, code Alpha.”
***
The Jumpers quickly breached the hull and entered the hold of the cargo ship. As expected it was full of crates, each needing to be identified. Every Jumper had a list with the highest priority cargo they were supposed to find. When crates were located they were taken to a staging area for transfer to the Fantasy. Since the cargo ship was automated there was no need for gravity, the Jumpers simply picked up a crate and moved it into place.
***
The Captain of the Prometheus entered the bridge at a jog. Still buttoning his uniform coat he look the command chair vacated by the CDO.
“Report.” He ordered.
The CDO activated the command chairs monitor and explained the sensor operator’s findings. The Captain listened to the IO’s reasoning for his delay then said.
“Consider yourself on report. You will confine yourself to quarters for the duration of this mission.”
He sat back in the command chair and looked at the CDO.
“Set general quarters. Helm; bring us about 180 degrees and set an intercept course for the number five cargo ship. Maximum burn.”
***
Jackie paced around the bridge. The lead Jumper had reported in several minutes ago that they had found everything on their lists, plus a few extra goodies he thought they could get into their own hold.
“Outstanding.” She had told him. “Get it on board as fast as you can then stand by to reactivate power.”
She continued to make laps around the bridge, watching the display show the minutes ticking by. She stopped by the IO station and asked.
“How long till the emitters burn out?”
“If I reduce their power, I think I can get another ten minutes out of them.”
“Do it.” She ordered.
She made her way back to the pilot’s comm. panel,
“Lead, you have very little time to complete loading.”
“Roger that Captain Jack. We’re almost finished now.”
***
“Sir, sensors indicate a ten percent drop in signal strength from cargo ship number five.”
The Captain sat staring out the Prometheus’s main view port. “We’re too damn slow.” He thought. With little hesitation, he called out a very risky command.
“Helm, you have authorization to red like the engines.”
He knew pushing the engines to redline could be disastrous, even fatal, but he was counting on the hope that military specifications always left a wide margin for error. He was willing to risk it, having no desire to be the one that lost this cargo, especially this cargo.
“Sensor operator, I want full active scans.”
***
“Captain Jack, we have company.” The IO reported breaking her out of her thoughts.
She quickly made her way over to the IO station. He drew her attention to the readings on his display.
“The destroyer is inbound with all sensors active.”
“How long till they get here?” she asked.
“Six minutes, maybe less. Judging from their signature and velocity, I’d say they were burning up their engines to do it.”
Jackie switched channels on the IO’s comm. panel.
“Lead, we are out of time. Get everyone back onboard and stand by to turn the cargo hauler back on.”
“Rodger that, all hands report onboard. I’m standing by at the control panel.”
Switching channels again, she stabbed at the panel.
“Charlie, are you ready with that decoy?”
“Yes ma’am. It’s not pretty, but it should do the trick.”
Looking back at the IO, she told him.
“As Lead brings power back up, match him with a drop in ours.”
“Aye, aye skipper.”
She just couldn’t wait any longer. Not with a destroyer breathing down their necks.
“Lead, reactivate power and get back here.”
She spun around to face the pilot, “Max, as soon as he’s onboard get us off this tub. When you are clear, shut everything down but the internal comm.’s.”
***
“Captain, there is something odd going on with that cargo ship.” The sensor operator said.
“Would you care to be a little more specific.” The Captain said turning to face him. His irritation was hard to miss.
“Yes sir, it’s fluctuating all over the place. First it drops then spikes, and then drops again.” He paused for a moment. “It’s stabilized now sir, but now I have another contact.”
***
Max waited until he got a green light showing the cargo bay door closed and sealed. He released the magnetic clamps then fired the vertical control thrusters. As he pulled the two ships apart he shouted,
“We are out of here!”
The Fantasy started to clear the cargo ships support structures. Jackie returned to her previous position behind the pilot’s chair and looked out the main view port. She could see the bright flaming trails of the destroyer’s engines as the Prometheus closed in.
She hammered the comm. panel with such force she feared she had broken her hand.
“Charlie, launch the decoy.” She yelled.
***
“What is the second contact?” the Captain asked.
“It’s mass and signature suggest a scout class or transport sir. It’s not showing any registration beacons, or answering attempts to contact.” The sensor operator answered.
He watched as the readings on his screen abruptly vanished. He opened his mouth to report this, when they flickered back to life. A brief second later his eyes went wide with surprise.
“Captain, they are on a direct intercept course. I thinking they intend to attack us.”
The Captain stood, his own surprise showing on his face.
“They're what?”
***
Charlie felt the ships gravity suddenly go away the same moment the lights went out. Captain Jack must have ordered a blackout again, he surmised. He already had the outer door to the airlock opened so that wouldn’t be a problem. When he heard Jackie’s order to launch it, he lifted the missile off the deck, activated the broadcast signal and ignition timer, and then with all his might, shoved it out into space. He had set the ignition timer to go off in five seconds, three seconds after that; it would activate its course change.
He stood in the open airlock door, mouth agape as the first hints of panic started to grip him. He watched as the missile was heading straight for one of the cargo ships external cranes. He watched as it struck one of the cranes support beams and bounced back towards him. The force of the impact caused the missile to turn, drifting off its original heading. He almost forgot about counting until the engine ignited. He barely ducked behind the airlocks doorframe before the flames from the missiles rocket motor slammed into the Fantasy’s side, leaving blackened scorches both inside and outside the airlock.
“He what?” Jackie asked, unable to believe her ears or eyes. She watched the missiles trail as it flew on an arrow straight course directly at the incoming destroyer.
***
The Captain of the Prometheus spoke into the ship wide communication system, his voice booming through every deck in the destroyer.
“Attention all hands, this is the Captain. This ship is about to be attacked by pirates. These may not be very smart pirates, but lets be ready for them nonetheless. Damage control teams stand by for possible ramming. All weapons stand by to fire.”
With both the Prometheus and the missile at a full burn, the distance between them shrank to less then a third of it’s starting size before the missiles programmed course change made it turn away. The sensor operator informed the Captain that at their current speed, the pirates would burn out their engines before to long.
“Helm reduce speed and plot a pursuit course. When they ruin their engines well pick them up.” The Captain sat back in his command chair much more relaxed. After all, it was only a matter of time before he caught them.
The Prometheus followed the pirates for another quarter of an hour on an unerring straight course, when the chase came to a sudden and abrupt end. The Captain stared in disbelief when the pirate ship simply exploded. He thought, “The destruction of their engines had been much more devistating then the pirates anticipated. Dread flooded through him when he thought about the cargo he assumed had been onboard the destroyed ship.
When the Prometheus drew closer to the point of the explosion, their scans revealed very little debris, far to little to account for the mass of a scout class ship. It was only after they determined it was in fact a missile they had been chasing, that the realization dawned on them. They had been had.
The Captain ordered an immediate turn around but he knew the convoy was under orders to stop for nothing and had continued on its way. The Prometheus was to far away now and could only catch them with a jump. The real pirates were undoubtedly long gone.
***
Once again the bridge of the Fantasy was cast into darkness as it slowly drifted away from the convoy, which continued on its present course.
“This is the easy part.” Jackie told her bridge crew. “We just sit here in the dark, a big lump of nothing, and let them fly away.”
They watched the convoy get smaller and smaller in the distance till nothing of it could be seen. Jackie kept them shut down for another hour. The crew silently dreading that the destroyer would come back, yet at the same time, wildly excited that they had actually pulled it off.
Charlie returned to the bridge, holding his pants up with his hands. When Jackie asked, he replied.
“You gave me the idea to strap a battery to the missile. Well, my belt was all I had to use.”
The bridge crew broke out into laughter both from the humor and the anxiety of the situation they were in.
Jackie was as nervous as the rest of the crew. She paced around the bridge, stopping only to look out the view port for any signs of the destroyer. When she was absolutely sure they were out of the convoy’s sensor range, she gave the order to bring the ship up to full operations. The crew cheered as the tension that had built up was released.
She turned from the view port, remembering the antique book that had given her the idea for this job, the book about the old wet navy pirates from ancient Earth.
“Who says history can’t teach us anything?” she thought.
She ordered a course set for their base of operations, then happily made her way to the cargo hold to see what loot her crew’s pillaging had won for them.
[ This Message was edited by: Devlin *EN* on 2004-02-07 23:29 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Devlin *EN* on 2004-02-08 01:21 ]
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