Death Ship - SDD Five, Part Two

The Takelvee did slow giving Raven enough time to enter the Filas system. “OK,” Matthew Merriel began to prepare for the worst, “the destroyers O’Brien and O’Banion are on their way. We need to keep the enemy off balance until they arrive. We need the ability to strike from several places at once.
Steve called to the captain, “Captain, we’re being contacted by the Takelvee.”
“OK Steve put them on. Let’s hear what they have to say.”
A second later the Takelvee battle commander filled the view screen. He was a very broad creature with two short arms at the mid point in his rib cage, and two longer arms at the shoulders. The arms ended in hands with four long thin fingers. His flesh was a smooth and greenish blue. He had copper colored hair on his head, shoulders and arms. He wore a golden breastplate with an insignia outlined in black. His face consisted of two oversized deep green eyes with no pupils, a thin pointed nose, and a thin expressionless mouth. He spoke with a metallic twang. “Captain, greetings. We mean no harm to you or your people. We must temporarily take possession of this system in order to carry out a task vital to the survival of our people.”
“That’s sounds serious Commander, “Matthew answered, “please fill us in. If it concerns something within our space, we would be happy to resolve the issue for you.”
“The subject matter is a bit delicate Captain. The best thing you can do for us is to allow us to control this system for a short time. We allowed your ship to enter the system for the purpose of evacuating your outpost. Please do so quickly and leave the system.”
“I’m sorry Commander I do not have the authority to give away star systems. This system is in human space, and your ships are violating the non-incursion agreement. If you need assistance, we will be happy to comply, but we will not give up this system.”
“Captain, you are being foolish. I have orders to occupy this system, and that I will do. We know that you have ships on the way, but we will be prepared for them when they arrive. Be smart, Captain, leave this system. You can always return with your comrades at your side.”
“Commander, we will use every means at our disposal to defend this system. The Solarian Defense Directorate will not negotiate under the gun.”
“I am truly sorry to hear that Captain.” With that final statement communication was cut.
Matthew turned to his executive officer. “Valerie, I want you to contact Lieutenant Bort and tell him to prepare his squad for a dark sun maneuver.”
Valerie looked at her captain. Her eyes widened for a moment, then her command face returned. “Yes sir, I’ll get him on the communication link right away.”
The captain looked Valerie into the eyes and said, “I would rather you discussed this with him personally. There are tactics to this maneuver that you two should go over.”
“Captain, I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t believe I should leave the bridge right now.”
“Valerie, nothing is going to happen in the next few minutes. Do I have to make this an order?”
“No sir, I’m on my way sir.”

“Sergeant Wrobel, get these shuttles ready.” Lieutenant Scott Bort yelled, “I want these shuttles loaded and rigged for black mode running in ten minutes. Do you hear me Sergeant?”
“Loud and clear sir.” Sergeant Patrick Wrobel took control of the squad. “Alright, you heard the Lieutenant, pick up the pace or I’m going to do some ass kicking.”
Valerie stepped into the hangar and called to Scott, “Lieutenant Bort, may I see you in the conference room please?”
“Yes Commander.” Scott answered crisply, and followed Valerie down the hall.
Once they entered the conference room and the door slid shut, Valerie threw her arms around Scott. “Scott nothing can happen to you now. Over the last six months you’ve filled a void that was in my life. You’ve completed my life, you’ve made it whole.”
“Valerie please; don’t worry.” Scott comforted her has he held her close, “This is my job. This is what I do. Remember when we were stuck on the alien ship? Remember how impressed you were with my squad?”
“Yes, yes I do.” Valerie answered not letting Scott go.
“Believe me Val, they are even better at this. We’re ready for this. We’ll do our job and come back. With all due respect Commander, we have a wedding to plan, and I never miss a good party.”
Valerie playfully slapped the big marine. “OK, in that case, get your butt going.” Then she held him close again, “Hurry back, I love you Scott.”
“I love you to Val.”
They gently kissed and slowly separated. Scott gave Val one last smile and left the room.
A small tear came to the corner of Val’s eye as she stared at the closed door. She knew that a dark sun maneuver was the closest thing the directorate had to a planned suicide mission.

The two shuttles left Raven each carrying five marines. Scott commanded shuttle number one and Sergeant Wrobel commanded shuttle number two. After a short burst from their thrusters, the shuttles shut down all systems as went dead quiet.

Valerie returned to the bridge to find Captain Merriel leaning toward Amy Zero’s sensor position. He asked as he stared at the screen, “Amy, what are they up to?”
“Captain they’re forming up and coming right down our throats. They’ll be coming in with the sun behind them. It looks like a standard alpha pattern approach. .”
“They just don’t know who they’re dealing with.” Matthew Merriel said as he returned to the command chair. Then he went to into action. “Steve, are all of the people from the outpost on board?”
“Yes sir, their shuttle landed a few minutes ago.”
“Good,” Matthew responded, “the outpost is about to become a casualty of war. Valerie, can we direct the outpost laser defenses from here?”
“We can fire them sir, once we have the access code, but we certainly can’t aim them. We have no way to lock them on a target. We can deploy a Hound Dog missile or two to hover close by the outpost and program them to the Takelvee signatures. They will attack when they detect the enemy.”
“Excellent, we’ll flash the lasers around taking random shots to draw them in, then the hound dogs will go after them. That should force them to consider the outpost a threat. Deploy the missiles. Are the marines deployed?”
“Yes sir, they should be on station now.”
The captain then called to his helmsman. “Tom get us away from the outpost, we need some maneuvering room. Bring up all defenses, and arm all weapons, and deploy two hound dogs.”

The Takelvee approached just as predicted. “Captain, we have a full volley of Takelvee
Death Dealer missiles in coming.”
The Captain yelled, “Evasive action, and sound general quarters.”
Valerie went to the tactical position and Steve called out over the ship wide communications, “General quarters, all hands to general quarters. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill.”
The Takelvee destroyers rushed out of the bright star shine their deadly volley of missiles going before them. The flashing lasers of the outpost did get the attention of one enemy destroyer. It broke ranks and dove at its target only to be met by the Hound Dog missiles. The agile ship dodged one missile but was struck aft by the second. The disabled ship backed out of the fray.
Raven twisted and spun in space avoiding and gunning down enemy missiles. Valerie furiously worked out the complex course patterns that would bring their pursuers across the paths of the hidden marine shuttles. She also maintained the fire control pattern that kept the enemy off balance during the pursuit. “Coming up on snag point one,” she announced. In the midst of the furious work she reached out to Scott knowing his team was about to go into action. “Be safe dear one.”

In the blackness of the shuttle only one weak lit system was active. The passive sensor tracked the enemy ship as it prepared to cross their bow. The marines were suited up, and ready to go. Scott quietly ordered, “Nick, project the magnetic field on my mark, and everyone hang on. Nick, three, two, one, now.”
As the enemy destroyer flashed by, it contacted the magnetic field and the shuttle was drug along side like a fisherman hooking a whale. The shuttle was pulled close to the hull within the enemy’s sensors. In the shuttle it was a wild ride for the marines as they were drug along by the bigger ship. Being slammed from side to side Scott yelled to his squad. “OK, let’s make the jump. Out the door marines, and make the bastards pay!”
The squad launched themselves out of the shuttle and sailed to the hull of the enemy ship. They clamped on magnetically and started their work. “Seal the charges on good”, Scott ordered through his communication link, “we want a nice big hole in this bucket.”
As the marines worked the space around them suddenly lit up. “What the hell!” Nick yelled.
The enemy spotted their actions and fired on the shuttle. The shuttle was too close to get a sensor lock, so the gun crew was firing the laser cannon manually. The first shot was a miss, but Scott didn’t want his people to be around for the second shot, “Set charges and go to a star burst dispersal now.” The marines fired their jet packs and shot into space in five different directions. As Scott zoomed away from the enemy ship he saw Sean Murphy’s trajectory. “Sean, you’re headed for the shuttle, change course Sean, change course!”
“I can’t Lieutenant its stuck.”
“Sean, get out of there, Sean!”
The enemies second shot was on target destroying the shuttle and taking Sean Murphy in the blast.”
Scott cursed the Takelvee then watched with satisfaction as the charges exploded opening up the enemy’s hull to explosive decompression. Soon debris and Takelvee warriors joined the marines in the black void. The warriors’ exploded bodies performed a grotesque dance in the cloud of wreckage emitted from the ship. Damage to the ship was minimal, but accurate, its port side maneuvering thrusters were gone, along with its port side aft weaponry. It would have to leave the battle.
Scott hung in space knowing the worst was yet to come. They could use their distress beacons, but they knew that Raven could not respond until the battle was resolved. If Raven does not succeed, they will end up prisoners of war. If the battle goes on too long, their life support will run out and they will die hanging in space.

Amy announced to the bridge, “The first marine squad had disabled the enemy destroyer.” A cheer rose from the bridge. The sensor officer snuck a peak at Valerie and swallowed hard before making her second announcement, “Captain, shuttle number one took a direct hit from the enemy, it’s been destroyed.”
Valerie looked over to Amy. She used all of the control to ask, “What about the crew?”
“It’s likely that they were still outside the shuttle and are now just waiting for pick up.”
Captain Merriel asked Steve, “What about it Steve, do you have any distress beacons?”
“Yes sir,” Steve happily answered.
Valerie let out her breath then Steve made her catch it again. “I have four beacons sir.”
“Four?” Valerie asked.
“Yes Commander, I have only four. That can just mean the one transmitter was damaged.”
“Yes of course,” Valerie said softy, “I guess we’ll know in time.”
Raven was shook by a blast from an enemy laser cannon. “Evasive action!” Captain Merriel yelled, “Damage report!”
“Amy reported, “The energy shielding dispersed the blast, minor damage to the starboard side cannon mount. The cannon is still operational. No injuries reported.” Then she added, “The marines have taken care of another ship sir. There is now only one fully operation enemy destroyer in pursuit.”
“And he’s mine.” Captain Merriel said with satisfaction. “Tom on my mark drop Raven Z minus 10 miles, and fire reverse thrusters.”
“Yes sir, ready on your mark.”
“Valerie, bring all forward weapons to bare on the enemy. I want a clean shot when it passes over us.”
“Gladly sir,” Valerie said thinking of the destroyed shuttle.
Captain Merriel counted it down, “Three, two, one, mark. Drop and slow Tom.”

Raven dropped as if it was pulled into a gravity well. The Takelvee destroyer rushed over it, and Raven fired a vicious volley at its belly. As it moved away Raven let go with two Hound Dog missiles. With its maneuvering hampered the enemy could not avoid the missiles’ deadly attack. The enemy destroyer exploded in a great fireball.
Raven turned to advance on the damaged enemy ships only to find them moving away. “Captain,” Amy called, “The O’Brien and O’Banion have entered the system, and the Takelvee are withdrawing.”
The bridge erupted in spontaneous cheering. Captain called to Steve, “Make sure shuttle two picks our people up.”
“They’re on their way sir.” Steve said with a smile.
Valerie’s smile was a bit weaker as she wondered who had the missing beacon. She called to the captain, “Captain, request permission to leave the bridge.”
“Permission granted Valerie. Superb work at tactical Valerie; your maneuvers were top notch.”
“Thank you sir.” Valerie responded as she ahead toward the exit.

Valerie waited patiently outside the hangar. The status indicator showed that the outside doors had closed and the hangar was pressurizing. When the green light lit, she rushed in. The door of the shuttle was just opening. Marine after marine climbed out with mixed looks on their faces. Valerie could tell by their expressions that they had lost one of their own. “Oh please God, not Scott.” she whispered. Sergeant Wrobel stepped off the shuttle and no one followed. Valerie’s eyes filled with tears.
The sergeant saw Valerie and went to her. Valerie put her hand to her mouth trying to control what was overwhelming her. Pat Wrobel put his hands on her shoulders, “No no Commander, the Lieutenant is alright, he’s in the shuttle. We lost Sean, Sean Murphy. The lieutenant just needs a minute or two.
Valerie ran to the shuttle and bolted in the door. Scott was sitting in the pilot seat staring out of the window. Valerie ran up and threw herself into his lap. “Scott, oh Scott; thank God you’re alive. You scared the life out of me. When everyone got off the shuttle I . . .”
“You didn’t see Sean did you?” Scott asked still staring through the window.”
“Scott,” Valerie said softly, “I’m so sorry about Sean.”
“I saw him,” Scott said, “I saw him drift into the path of a fully charge laser cannon bolt. I saw Sean Murphy disappear.”
Valerie held him tight and told him, “Go ahead Scott, get it out.”
“He was such a character. You know. You remember him when we were stuck in that alien ship. I guess you can say that he got us stuck there in the first place.”
“And if he didn’t,” Valerie said, “we would have never found those babies in the cryogenic chambers. Over 2000 babies owe their lives to Sean Murphy’s antics.”
“He was a good marine. Damn those Takelvee bastards. Sometimes I think we should just clean them all out. We should just rid the galaxy of those four armed freaks.”
“I felt that way to when I released a full laser barrage on their destroyer. That’s when I was afraid I had lost you, but I know better. Even the Takelvee deserve to live.”
Scott looked at Valerie, “Valerie, that’s why I love you so much. Beyond your brilliance and your rank, there is something far greater. That’s your heart. Not even the military could take away your compassion or your empathy for all living things.”
They slowly left the shuttle in each other’s arms.