Randall just rolled his eyes upwards. “Mother of Mercy, what a day!” he exclaimed as he walked off.
Within a minute, the Martian ships split themselves into two groups and veered away from each other.
* * * * *
Aboard the Quinton, Trager’s plan fully revealed itself. Many of the engineering personnel assembled their hidden electron ion pistols and began killing every cyborg in sight. The group then fought their way to the shuttle bay, lead by Abner Strephon. It was there that the group of defectors met up with their wounded leader, Commander Trager.
“You ready?” Trager asked while watching the corridor behind them.
For a moment, Abner said nothing as his fingers typed in data continuously on a portable keyboard console. “I’m ready, but it takes a little time to override all the security controls and codes.”
The command officer nervously held his weapon at the ready. “Just do it!” he directed as his hands began to sweat.
Meanwhile on the bridge, Selena was gradually recovering from the shock caused by the system overloading when the huma-droids were destroyed. She stood slowly up and removed the burnt tiara crown from her head that was still smoldering. The area where her white pasty skin met the tiara was also burned, but tiny portions were gone and showed that a carbon plate had replaced her skull. Captain Renee, another cyborg officer, spied her standing and swiftly rushed to her side.
“Admiral, I thought you were dead!”
“If my circuits hadn’t absorbed the shock—I would have been!” Selena realized, as her hand grasped a console for support as she slowly recovered.
“What happened?” Selena asked.
Renee sneered. “It was Trager!” he confirmed. “He shot up the huma-droids and then escaped, jamming the hatchway controls!”
“WHAT!” Darius became livid.
“He’s also not alone in this!” Renee went on. “The engineers blew the main power converters at the same time! It had to be planned, because it was coordinated with the Martian attack!”
She then returned a sneer. “Where’s Trager now?” she demanded to know.
Renee pouted hesitantly. “We don’t know. Systems are coming up slowly. In the meantime, our ships are beginning to return manual control. Because they were locked into the grid when it went down, they became defenseless against the Martians. Some of our ships were destroyed, others badly damaged!”
Darius’ mind cleared and remembered the Martians’ impending attack. “The Martians! Where are they now?”
“They’ve broken off and split into two groups. One group has taken the alien ship in tow and is now escorting the colonists. The other is circling, acting as a rear guard.”
Selena thought for a moment. “No, no they’re not! They’re waiting! They’re waiting for Trager!” she excitedly announced in sudden enlightenment. “Trager is heading for the shuttle bay! Activate the battle androids, and have them kill everyone of those traitors!” Selena ordered.
Renee simply nodded and dashed off.
* * * * *
Abner smiled broadly as the lamp above the shuttle bay changed from red to green. An instant later the hatchway began to open, and the group of deserters readied themselves with weapons at hand.
After the doors parted, the engineers cautiously entered and peered about. The bay, however, was empty with exception of numerous drone fighters and shuttles that occupied the chamber. They then quickly sealed the hatchway behind them and destroyed its controls as well.
Trager ran to one of the saucer shaped shuttles, one that was close to the bay doors leading out into space. He then boarded the craft. Sitting in the pilot’s seat, he powered up the engines and hastily began a flight check.
Abner and his engineers, however, went to their work. He divided his group into teams, and each headed to a different set of control panels, which spotted the bay’s walls. They began pulling the panels apart to over-ride several different systems to open the bay doors for their escape, and time was critical.
As each member worked feverishly, tension mounted while uneasiness filled the air. Most of the teams were almost through with their allotted tasks when a faint vibration was felt in the deck along with muffled thumping that seemed to be in-step. Every engineer turned to listen as both the sound and vibration grew louder.
As the noise and vibration merged and became deafening, Abner’s face suddenly contorted with alarm. “EVERYBODY TAKE COVER!” he yelled drawing his ion pistol.
A pounding began on the hatch with what seemed like heavy metal fists hurling sledgehammer-like blows. Adrenaline and sweat was running high as the humans took cover and readied their weapons. The huge hatch then began to dent, as the blows became more furious and harder. Finally, the door buckled and broke as it could withstand no more, falling to the floor in a loud reverberating crash. The engineers were aghast at what they saw. For standing in the hatchway were eight-foot tall machines that bore a striking resemblance to multi-legged crabs baring laser turrets, claws, and a host of other deadly weapons. The huge metal crustaceans were programmed for one thing—to kill.
“OPEN FIRE!” screamed Abner in a vain attempt to destroy the machines.
Electron bolts strafed the huge metal androids as they started to advance. The energy, however, merely scattered in sparkles on their armor plates. The machines continued their steady march forward in thumping lock-steps with one giant spiked leg piercing and crushing a man under it who was just too close. The crunching of his bones was easily heard as well as his screams. He quickly died of shock and internal injuries. The machines, however, knew no pity. They only paused for a moment to discharge a lethal barrage against their helpless prey from shotgun like weapons.
Those engineers targeted by slug projectiles, had their blood and organs sprayed across the room. Others, however, were not so lucky. A pressurized fuel canister accidentally ruptured from a ricocheting slug, its contents showering over several men and androids alike. The machines, however, were impervious to the fire that was started by a random plasma bullet; the humans were not. The men died agonizing deaths as fire and the sickly-sweet scent of burning flesh swept through the bay. The blood curdling screams of the human torches that emanated, however, were merciful ended as the impassioned machines cut them down while the last surviving humans ran for their lives.
“GET EVERYBODY INSIDE, NOW!” Trager yelled to Abner from the shuttle’s boarding hatch over the sounds of the one-sided struggle.
Abner then turned and bellowed, “GET IN! EVERYBODY, GET IN!”
Hurriedly, the surviving engineers ran to the shuttle and enter. Abner was the last one aboard, and quickly sealed the hatch closed.
“GO! GO! GO!” the man yelled to Trager, who was manning the shuttle’s controls.
Trager immediately brought the main drive to life and lifted the craft several feet over the deck, retracting its landing gear. The experienced pilot then quickly rotated the vehicle 360 degrees. As he did, he held down the craft’s plasma cannons’ fire button. The shuttle’s pulse weapons belched a stream of huge bright tracers, which cut a circular path of destruction in the bay. They created numerous explosions, which rocked the bay while demolishing a few of the battle androids, other shuttles, and several drone fighters.
As the vehicle swung totally around, it then threw itself at the outer bay doors. This time Trager let lose two defensive missiles at the obstacle. In an erupting blast, the doors parted in an enormous breach. The hole began to suck objects out through it as the chamber depressurized. Tools, androids, spacecraft; all were pulled into the void of space with the escaping shuttle.
“REAL SOLDIERS TO NEW FRIENDS! REAL SOLDIERS TO NEW FRIENDS! WE’RE OUT! WE’RE OUT!” clamored Trager over the craft’s transmitter that was detected by Martian receivers.
It was then that the three circling Martian warships turned and charged bravely into the massive Earth fleet.
* * * *
*
“WEAPONS, FIRE!” ordered Wakinyan at the top of his lungs.
The lasers of the three Martian ships instantly cut the ether of space and struck their foes. Earth ships on the edge of the formation, finally freed from their locked computers, broke formation and were swift to react to the attack. They began flying wildly about while returning fire. Their maneuvering, however, became even more frenzied as acquiring Martian ship-killing missiles suddenly appeared on their scanners heading directly towards them. Discharged from the marauding Martian destroyers, they rapidly closed in. The projectiles formed an explosive wedge that was concentrated as a battering ram. And the tactic did just that. Three of the missiles slammed into a cruiser while another two holed a destroyer. After the missiles’ spontaneous detonation, both Earth ships went out of control and died in blazing collisions with several other Earth ships as intended. The Martian destroyers then entered the gap that was created by the dissolving Earth formation along with their undeniable promise of mayhem.
“WAKINYAN TO ATTACK FORCE, DEPLOY MINES!”
Each of the Martian ships then began spitting out mines in timed intervals. The mines were quick to lock on and skewed a few Earth ships. However, their mere presence caused others to immediately swerve off course. Collision alarms wailed throughout the Earth fleet, as ships barely dodged, skidded, or crashed into other vessels. Wreckage was everywhere as the Martians left a mire of exploding mines, and total havoc and confusion behind them.
“COMMANDER, RAPIDLY APPROACHING SHUTTLE FROM THE REAR!” Randall cried out.
“DE-PRESSURIZE SHUTTLE BAYS AND OPEN HANGER DOORS!” Richard shouted out. Wakinyan then grabbed the helmsman by the shoulder. “When I tell you to brake, you brake! When I tell you flank speed, I want flank speed! We’ve only got one shot at this!” Wakinyan stressed the urgency of the situation to the female crewman.
“Aye, Commander!” the woman acknowledged.
The Crazy Horse aligned itself evenly, but just above the fleeing shuttle. Gradually, the single destroyer dropped behind the other two Martian ships.
As the Crazy Horse passed the smaller craft, Wakinyan bellowed out, “BRAKE!” as he judged the timing to be right. Instantaneously, the ship slowed down considerably and allowed the shuttle to enter.
“THEY’RE INSIDE AND DOWN!” Randall informed loudly from across the bridge.
“CLOSE BAY DOORS! FLANK SPEED!” Wakinyan roared in response.
The engines of the Crazy Horse went to maximum burn, which shot the destroyer forward at an incredible speed. She soon rejoined the other two destroyers, and the small Martian force turned again to attack. However, the last of the crimson ships finally cleared their computers and were prepared for battle.
As the three Martian ships re-enter the formation, they were greeted this time with a massive salvo. However, because they were moving so fast within the fleet itself, the fire became reckless, crazed, and inaccurate. Lasers struck friend and foe alike in the raging shootout. As Wakinyan had planned it, the “Earthers” were doing more damage to themselves than to his ships. Still, they were taking hits.
“HELMSMAN, HARD TO PORT! KEEP US IN THE MAIN FORMATION OF THEIR SHIPS!” Wakinyan commanded.
The ship then rocked from a hit.
“DIRECT HIT TO DECK FIVE FORWARD! COMMANDER, THE POUNDING THE CRAP OUT OF US! HOW MUCH LONGER ARE WE GOING TO KEEP THIS UP?” Randall became anxious.
“UNTIL DENKO GETS HIS ASS OUT OF HERE!” Wakinyan replied.
The Crazy Horse then got slammed with another hit.
“DIRECT HIT TO DECK TWO AFT!” Randall excitedly advised.
Richard pounded a fist on his command chair, then suddenly jumped up and ran to the Helmsman position.
“MOVE IT SAILOR, I’M TAKING OVER!” Wakinyan confronted the female mariner.
The woman unbuckled herself and jumped out of the seat as the deputy commander slid in.
“EVERYONE, STRAP YOURSELVES IN!” Wakinyan yelled as he harnessed himself to the chair.
Randall and the rest of the crew did likewise hurriedly.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO DO?” Jim fearfully asked, fully knowing his friend’s temperament of hostility had gone from bad to worse.
“THIS!” snarled Wakinyan as pulled back and turned the sticks at the same time.
The Crazy Horse spun and went into a barrel roll like a fighter. However, the other two Martian destroyers just peeled off and went in separate directions. The Martian Destroyer Sorenson unfortunately flew right into a kill zone and took over two dozen hits simultaneously. She blew apart within heartbeat.
Randall quickly turned to Wakinyan. “WE’VE JUST LOST THE SORENSON!”
Richard’s eyes narrowed in rage, as they locked onto an enemy ship on his scanner. “MAIN GUN, FIRE!” he snarled.
The lasers of the Crazy Horse ripped through the void and tore into the bridge of an Earth frigate. As the ship went out of control, it plowed into another frigate. The two vessels then disintegrated in a funeral pyre of detonation.
As the Martian Destroyer Lee tried to rejoin the zigzagging Crazy Horse, a volley of lasers raked the destroyer from behind. The pulse energy weapons penetrated deeply into the ship. In a brilliant flash of a nuclear fireball, she died.
Seeing the Lee’s demise, Wakinyan went insane with fury. He jammed the control sticks back while braking at the same time. The Crazy Horse went into a tight loop, popping up into a squadron of cruisers. So close was the Martian destroyer’s impromptu course correction to several of the Earth ships, she actual scraped and dented the hull of one of the big cruisers in a near miss. Finally after completing her sharp circle, the Crazy Horse came up directly behind the enemy ships that had just blasted the Lee to particles.
“WEAPONS, FIRE!” Wakinyan yelled, bent on revenge.
The lasers of the Crazy Horse targeted the destroyer squadron with deadly accuracy. She scored numerous hits on two ships, which seconds later instantaneously blew apart, sending the fragments of their incendiary destruction into other Earth vessels. A third zigzagging Earth ship then collided with another in a vain attempt to escape the lethal wrath of the pursuing Martian destroyer. They too were transformed into an expanding inferno of fire and debris. The Crazy Horse, however, quickly veered and rolled away as the explosion spent itself.
In the meantime, the remainder of Denko’s squadron was initiating their hyper-drives. His objective was complete; the Martian destroyers under his command were towing all three damaged ships and were leaving the system with the colonists.
“Fullback to Right Guard! Fullback to Right Guard!” Denko repeated. “We are underway! Repeat! We are underway!”
The rescuers and their charges then vanished through an inter-dimensional portal—and to safety.
However, Wakinyan was too busy to acknowledge the transmission. The officer was fully immersed into saving his ship. Another destroyer squadron was in pursuit of the Crazy Horse, and they were slowly gaining on it while scoring several minor hits.
“We’ve kicked over one hell of a hornet’s nest, Commander! I think it is time we beat-feet out of here!” James gave his opinion.
Wakinyan came to the same assessment. “We’re just about to do that, Mr. Randall. What’s that big ship coming up on our starboard?”
“Ship is identified as a Super Dreadnought class.” However, Randall paused in surprise and then quickly turned to his friend. “It’s their flagship, the Quinton!” he blurted out.
“How many missiles do we have left?” Wakinyan asked.
“Four!” Jim was swift to answer.
“WEAPONS! TARGET THE QUINTON WITH ALL REMAINING MISSILES!” Richard ordered. “Engine room! You there, Marcus?”
“Here, Commander!” the intercom came alive. “What the hell is going on?”
“Later, Chief! Right now, I want you to give me everything you’ve got! Redline the sub-lights!” Wakinyan instructed, referring to the sub-li
ght engines used in normal space.
“One of them is in shutdown mode now, Commander! We’ve been barely maintaining battle speed with the other two. And the strain on them is ready to blow them apart!” Marcus emphasized the danger.
“If you don’t do it, a bunch of Earthers are going to use us as target practice! You can cut it off as soon as we’re in hyperspace, but I want everything right now!” Wakinyan made himself clear.
“Aye, Sir!” Marcus acknowledged apprehensive of the danger. He then turned to his Black Gang of engineers. “REDLINE THE SUB-LIGHTS!” he barked loudly.
Within a second, the power gauges of the Crazy Horse shot into the Red danger zone while her engines suddenly blasted the ship speedily forward.
* * * * *
Aboard the Quinton, all power was finally restored. The bridge, however, was a complete shambles. Selena looked around and silently cursed Trager for doing this. However, Captain Renee was quick to interrupt her.
“Admiral,” the captain announced, “all power has been restored, but several systems are still down. The good news is we should be fully operational within a day, and that includes the battle matrix system.”
It was indeed good news to Selena’s ears. However, the good news was quickly followed by some bad.
“ADMIRAL, A MARTIAN WARSHIP IS MOVING IN TO ATTACK!” the command and control computer loudly informed.
Captain Renee eyes bulged in disbelief. “That captain must be absolutely mad!”
Selena didn’t care. “WEAPONS, LOCK ON THAT SHIP AND FIRE!” she ordered.
* * * * *
With a final burst of speed, the Crazy Horse charged fearlessly at the enormous ship. Even though she was hopelessly out numbered and being pursued, she unleashed the last of her missiles. The four projectiles immediately locked on to the Quinton and accelerated.
The great weapons of the Quinton then came to life and targeted the Crazy Horse. Moments later, they discharged a lethal barrage. However, it was too late. The Martian ship seconds earlier had energized its hyper-engines and vanished into another dimension.