ALEXANDER’S CREW IS WELL TRAINED.
THE BEST OF THE ACADEMY’S BEST.
AND SO THEIR RESPONSE TIME IS SWIFT DESPITE THE APPARENT INSANITY OF THEBEITECH COMMANDER’S DECISION TO FIRE ON AUNITEDTERRANAUTHORITY VESSEL.
IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE,BUT TRUTHFULLY,THERE ARE MORE CONCERNING PROBLEMS.
“GENERAL,SIXTEENBEITECH MISSILES ARE INBOUND ON OUR POSITION.”
“HELM,HARD EVASIVE! GET OUR DEFENSE GRID ON THOSE MISSILES! WEAPONS,RETURN FIRE!”
“WARNING: NUCLEAR ORDNANCE INBOUND. HAZMAT SUITS RECOMMENDED.”
THEALEXANDERSHUDDERS,NOSE TO TAIL,AS ITS ENGINES BURN BRIGHT,THE THRUST PUSHING THE CREW BACK INTO THEIR CHAIRS.
SIXTEEN MISSILES STREAK AT US ACROSS THE BLACK.
SIXTEEN TINY RED DOTS ON THE HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY,CUTTING EVER CLOSER.
ONE DISAPPEARS WITH A SMALL FLASH OF LIGHT.
ANOTHER SPUTTERS AND DIES AS ELECTRONIC COUNTERMEASURES SNUFF IT OUT.
THE HULL TREMBLES AND THE IMAGE SHIFTS AS THE SHIP BANKS HARD,CLOSER TO THE ORBIT OF THAT BURNING,FROZEN WORLD.
“FOURTEEN MISSILES STILL INBOUND, GENERAL.”
“DGS,WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING DOWN THERE? LIGHT THOSE NUKES UP!”
ANOTHER FLASHING RED DOT DIES. ANOTHER. ANOTHER.
TEN LEFT NOW.
EIGHT.
“FORTY SECONDS TO IMPACT, GENERAL. RECOMMEND PATTERNORION,MAXIMUM SPREAD.”
“CONFIRM! DGSPATTERNORION! ENGINES FULL!”
THE EMPTY VOID OUTSIDE IS LITBY STREAMS OF TRACER FIRE ARCING THROUGH THE DARK,DECOYS SPIRALING OFF INTO THE BLACK TO DRAW THE ENEMY MISSILES AWAY.
MUCH OFAIDAN’S FOCUS IS ON THE INBOUND ORDNANCE,THE MOVEMENT OF THE ENEMY SHIPS.
BUT A TINY SLIVER OF IT STILL REMAINS WITH EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF ITS CREW. WATCHING THEM THROUGH MYRIAD LENSES ACROSS ITS CORRIDORS AND SECTORS.
LIEUTENANTWINIFREDMCCALL,PREPPING HER SQUAD FOR BOARDING ACTIONS,ALL SPIT AND FIRE.
CORPORALDANNYCORRON,KISSING HIS WEDDING RING AS HE SECURES EQUIPMENT IN THE GALLEY.
PRIVATEOLIVIAKLEIN IN AN ELEVATOR,HEADING BACK DOWN TOTECHENG. HANDS CLASPED,ON HER KNEES AND PRAYING. THREE PIECES OF STRING AROUND HER FINGERS.
SIX MISSILES STILL INBOUND.
“RED ALERT.”
“ARE YOU WELL, OLIVIA?”
“HAILMARY,FULL OF GRACE,THELORD IS WITH THEE…”
