Orion Gambit - Traci Ganner series book 2

Orion Gambit - Ch 13

Chapter 13

Surprise Reversed

“It’s not often we manage to capture this much hardware,” Captain Zuwalksi was saying from his monitoring station. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the first marshal doesn’t move his flag to that one. This is going to be a very good day, Commander!”

Admiral Charleton chuckled softly as he listened in on the officers watching the last assault shuttle settle into the vast hangar bay on the Adamantine. The Terran crews were now loading damage control supplies and crew to begin reopening hangar bay access from the main ship. It would be important to begin moving more troops and supplies onto the wounded Orion vessel to make sure it had a mostly Terran crew.

“Sir, we’ve lost contact with Major Bettleman. He missed his thirty minute check-in. His last report was at 0445 standard fleet time.” The officer of the watch looked worried.

Charleton sat straight up in his chair. His skin crawled as he let his imagination get the better of him. He knew it had been a mistake for the first marshal to personally board the ship before he could get a good contingent of his own men aboard.

“Get me the first marshal’s team. I want to know what is going on over there.”

“Admiral, look!”

Charleton snapped his head around to the main display and watched in fascinated horror as the Orion battle carrier lurched to flank speed and rushed right under his own battle cruiser. He turned to the aft display and watched the Orion BCV begin to fade out of existence.

“All ships, fan out! Get the net extended and find that ship. Send the gunboats out in a spherical pattern. Don’t let her get away!”

Unfortunately, his eyes told him what he already suspected. The first gunboat disappeared from the plot as six strike fighters rushed in and launched a fresh wave of missiles at the gunboats that were circling the area like sharks. The gunboats were completely unprepared for the attack and struggled to gain enough speed to outrun or outmaneuver the incoming missile threat. Within moments the gunboats were reduced from twenty to twelve. The fighters continued their run and then dispersed again into the far reaches of the system. The distraction was infuriating. Not only had they used classic misdirection and made their strafe in the opposite direction of the escaping battle carrier, but they had also ripped a hole in the only units that could accelerate fast enough to have a hope of catching the battle carrier before it escaped the sensor net.

“Get me Task Group Forty-three. I want to know if they see any interference on their net.”

“Admiral,” said the senior chief monitoring the net, “they report no contact at all. We’ve lost them, sir.”

“No contact? They have to have some interruptions in their net!”

“I’m sorry, sir. Captain Jules reports no contact at all.”

Admiral Charleton swore loudly. “Get me the flag.”

“Aye, sir,” the chief stammered. It seems that this was not going to be a good day after all.

* * *

First Marshal Pearson held his head in both hands as his vision began to clear. Somehow he managed to move to a sitting position with his head between his knees. Quickly locating a nearby bucket, he emptied the contents of his stomach. When he had finished regurgitating all previously digested food, and perhaps a bit more than that, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked around.

He was in a stateroom that he did not recognize. Had he passed out? He couldn’t remember getting here on his own, so someone must have brought him in. Looking around, he saw no computer workstations or communications gear. His own personal communication device had been expertly removed.