The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 34.3

[Celeste]

When the countdown clock reached twenty seconds, the Commander said with an emotionless voice, "Now, Pilot."

For a moment, it seemed to Celeste that nothing happened when the quantum drive shutdown, dropping them from faster than light speed. Then the fusion thrusters cut in with a rumble and the acceleration forces pressed her back into the seat padding.

"Sir, the ships have come out of quantum space, two-point-one kilometers straight off the bow. They are turning in our direction."

"Good," the Commander said. "Make for them, maintain full burn." With the touch of a button on the chair arm, a magnified forward visual display appeared. The cruiser was a long ship with a stub nose and twin fusion thrusters at the stern. Numerous external weapon placements added to its menacing appearance. The boxy support craft, much smaller than the cruiser, had weapons of its own. The distance closed.

Celeste's eyes widened. What is he doing? We are going straight at them?

The young Ensign snapped her head around. "The cruiser is launching drones, sir." Four disk-shaped objects emerged from the cruiser's belly.

With a reassuring nod, Commander replied. "You know what to do, Ensign."

"Targeting, sir. Pulse cannons on automatic." Small red boxes surrounded the drones on the holographic tactical display. "Firing, sir." A fury of orange streaks raced across the dark space that separated the ships. One by one, the drones exploded in flashes of bright white light."

The Commander grinned. "Good shooting, Ensign. Your next priority will be the missiles. Set the cannons for point defense."

"Yes, sir!"

Celeste noticed how the Ensign sat up taller in her chair, pulling her shoulders back in apparent new found confidence. The Commander is a true leader.

"They are firing thrusters, sir," the Pilot announced, "Accelerating directly toward us."

"Their mistake, Lieutenant. The higher closing velocity will decrease weapon engagement time. This is what I want you to do. Steer to pass directly in between the enemy ships."

The Pilot turned around. "Sir, between the ships, wouldn't that expose us to concentrated fire?"

A sly grin came to the Commander's face. "Quite true, Lieutenant, but at the very last moment, I want you to shift course forty-five degrees down declination. If they are as trigger-happy as I think, they will end up shooting each other."

"Aye, sir." The Pilot grinned in return. "Maneuver laid in."

The enemy ships loomed larger in the magnified display. Jets of light emerged from the cruiser's underside. "Missiles, sir!" the young Ensign cried out.

"Take them out, Ensign," the Commander said.

A barrage of orange plasma bursts sprayed across space. Shredding the missiles in flashes of white light before they did harm. All but one. The explosion shook the ship, flinging Celeste's head back and forth. She tightened her grip on the chair arms.

The Pilot called out. "Damage to the starboard thruster cone! The thruster is still operational, but at reduced efficiency."

"Stay on course, Lieutenant," the Commander said with remarkable calmness. "Ensign, when we pass the enemy ships, strafe them with the starboard and port cannons, aim for the thrusters. Leave the remaining cannons on point missile defense."

The cruiser now dominated the magnified visual display and Celeste held her breath. "Ten seconds to course diversion, brace for acceleration," the Pilot warned.