Cassandra's Tears: Issue #3
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English
Forty percent shields. Four of his monitors had cut off. Only two missiles left in the right wing pod. Guns and fuel were doing okay. That was the good news. The bad news? Cal Mason couldn’t keep hammering at Black Talon for much longer.
Penny and the others were still tangling with the rest of the raiding party. The skies were a mess of dissipating contrails and columns of smoke from the burning wreckage below. Cal had to keep his focus. He knew the tables could turn at any moment.
Black Talon cut left, hard. Cal stayed on him. He fired a burst but Black Talon pirouetted around the shots like it was nothing. Cal saw where he was headed. The last Anvil was at distance, pounding arty at a Raider.
Black Talon was heading right for the web of exploding shells.
Aboard the Gemini, Admiral Showalter was trapped between the Vanduul flagship and Yar’s gravitational pull. The massive carrier couldn’t sustain either assault for much longer. He just stared at the mapsphere, studying every position, waiting for a play to present itself. The Vanduul ship was slightly elevated above their starboard side. They were angling to hit them with their big guns. The planet was just below their port horizon.
“Sir. We can’t stay here.” The deck-pilot shouted. Showalter ignored him, his mind churning on something resembling a plan.
“Sir!” He shouted again. Showalter turned, it could work.
“Cut suspensor thrusters three through nine. Drop eight, ten, and twelve by sixty percent.”
“But sir, that’ll drop us –“
“Toward the planet, right. Here’s what I want you to do and I’m only going to say this once.” Everyone listened. From the look on their faces, they thought the old man had finally lost it.
The main guns on the Vanduul flagship started heating up. Energy coalesced at the tip of the barrels, pulling elements from the atmosphere. Suddenly the Gemini pitched down toward the planet, port side thrusters flashed, forcing the massive ship into a turn. It skirted along the edge of the atmosphere, using the gravity to slingshot it around, until its port side stopped directly underneath the Vanduul ship.
The Gemini unleashed every weapon it could into the weak underbelly. Vanduul shields flared up, trying to divert all the attacks but it just couldn’t. Energy blasts punched through the hull followed by AP rockets. For the first time, the Vanduul were getting a serious hurt put on them.
Back on Yar, Cal was now dodging arty rounds. Heller, the Anvil Pilot, was trying to lead Black Talon but the Vanduul was proving as adept at dodging indirect fire as he was at direct.
Penny fell in behind Cal. It was becoming obvious that even though the Vanduul was on the defensive, he was dictating the fight. That was going to change. They were going to hit Black Talon together.
“You ready, Penny?”
“Let’s dust this guy.” Cal grinned.
Somehow Black Talon knew. The second Penny and Cal separated into attack position, panels ejected on the Black Talon revealing six hidden thrusters. He flashed them to spin completely around in breakneck speed and rocket toward them. Cal weaved to avoid the same wing attack that sliced Poll in two. Black Talon kicked its afterburners and shot toward the horizon, rejoining that second wing of Vanduul Scythes and Crawlers, the ones who bee-lined for the old settlement, and disappeared up into the atmosphere.
Penny and the remaining wing went after them. Cal didn’t. Something was gnawing at him. He changed course and headed for the buildings.
The Vanduul flagship was limping away. The Gemini had turned the tide and put some serious holes in it but it couldn’t catch up. Showalter’s daring maneuvering had locked the Gemini in the gravitational hold. Like a rover in the mud, it was doing all it could to try and break free, Showalter could see the Raiders emerge from Yar and disappear into the multiple landing bays. The flagship’s massive engines churned up and took off.
Back on the surface, Cal climbed down the ladder. He flipped the safety off his sidearm as he approached the building. A sign out front was caked with the red dust that was always swirling through the air. Cal wiped off the top layer. This was some kind of geological research station.
He pushed the swinging door open. A couple shafts of light filtered through the dust from holes in the ceiling but it was dark otherwise. The red dust was everywhere. But as much as Cal hated the stuff, it was doing him a huge favor right now. It was showing him footprints and, even better, the outlines of what was missing.
Cal swept through the facility. It looked like they took four machines, around four meters high by a couple wide. He took some pics of the scene with his visor then focusing on the machines that the missing ones were near. Everything that he was learning just fed that knot in his stomach. This wasn’t a raid. This was a heist. What were the machines? What could this Vanduul clan possibly use outdated tech for? What were they up to?
Penny chased Black Talon and the rest as far as she could. The second they broke out of atmo, the flagship unleashed a spray of cover fire. Looks like Grandpa gave them a punishing though. Hopefully they’ll think twice about hitting this system anytime soon.
“Alright, pilots. Back home.” The wing peeled away from pursuit and headed back to the Gemini, which had stabilized but still working its way free of the pull. Penny looked over the remnants of her wing. She ran down the list of the pilots who wouldn’t be reporting. Where was…
“Cal, copy?”
“Hey Penny. The Vanduuls still in the system?”
“Barely. They’re eighty-sixing at a clip.”
“Something’s not right, Penny. This wasn’t a raid.”
“What are you talking about Cal?”
“I need a favor.”
“I never like sentences that start out that way.”
“I need you to cover for me with Grandpa.”
“You gotta be joking, Cal.”
“I’ll check in when I have more. There’s something else going on here, Penny.”
Silence for a few moments.
“You know, Cal, one of these days I’m going to collect on all these favors.”
On the bridge of the Gemini, Admiral Showalter watched Penny and the other pilots return, a lot fewer than he would have liked. Then he saw Cal’s ship bust free from Yar. He was headed after the Vanduul flagship.
“Cal, you stupid son of a-“ . . . TO BE CONTINUED
Penny and the others were still tangling with the rest of the raiding party. The skies were a mess of dissipating contrails and columns of smoke from the burning wreckage below. Cal had to keep his focus. He knew the tables could turn at any moment.
Black Talon cut left, hard. Cal stayed on him. He fired a burst but Black Talon pirouetted around the shots like it was nothing. Cal saw where he was headed. The last Anvil was at distance, pounding arty at a Raider.
Black Talon was heading right for the web of exploding shells.
Aboard the Gemini, Admiral Showalter was trapped between the Vanduul flagship and Yar’s gravitational pull. The massive carrier couldn’t sustain either assault for much longer. He just stared at the mapsphere, studying every position, waiting for a play to present itself. The Vanduul ship was slightly elevated above their starboard side. They were angling to hit them with their big guns. The planet was just below their port horizon.
“Sir. We can’t stay here.” The deck-pilot shouted. Showalter ignored him, his mind churning on something resembling a plan.
“Sir!” He shouted again. Showalter turned, it could work.
“Cut suspensor thrusters three through nine. Drop eight, ten, and twelve by sixty percent.”
“But sir, that’ll drop us –“
“Toward the planet, right. Here’s what I want you to do and I’m only going to say this once.” Everyone listened. From the look on their faces, they thought the old man had finally lost it.
The main guns on the Vanduul flagship started heating up. Energy coalesced at the tip of the barrels, pulling elements from the atmosphere. Suddenly the Gemini pitched down toward the planet, port side thrusters flashed, forcing the massive ship into a turn. It skirted along the edge of the atmosphere, using the gravity to slingshot it around, until its port side stopped directly underneath the Vanduul ship.
The Gemini unleashed every weapon it could into the weak underbelly. Vanduul shields flared up, trying to divert all the attacks but it just couldn’t. Energy blasts punched through the hull followed by AP rockets. For the first time, the Vanduul were getting a serious hurt put on them.
Back on Yar, Cal was now dodging arty rounds. Heller, the Anvil Pilot, was trying to lead Black Talon but the Vanduul was proving as adept at dodging indirect fire as he was at direct.
Penny fell in behind Cal. It was becoming obvious that even though the Vanduul was on the defensive, he was dictating the fight. That was going to change. They were going to hit Black Talon together.
“You ready, Penny?”
“Let’s dust this guy.” Cal grinned.
Somehow Black Talon knew. The second Penny and Cal separated into attack position, panels ejected on the Black Talon revealing six hidden thrusters. He flashed them to spin completely around in breakneck speed and rocket toward them. Cal weaved to avoid the same wing attack that sliced Poll in two. Black Talon kicked its afterburners and shot toward the horizon, rejoining that second wing of Vanduul Scythes and Crawlers, the ones who bee-lined for the old settlement, and disappeared up into the atmosphere.
Penny and the remaining wing went after them. Cal didn’t. Something was gnawing at him. He changed course and headed for the buildings.
The Vanduul flagship was limping away. The Gemini had turned the tide and put some serious holes in it but it couldn’t catch up. Showalter’s daring maneuvering had locked the Gemini in the gravitational hold. Like a rover in the mud, it was doing all it could to try and break free, Showalter could see the Raiders emerge from Yar and disappear into the multiple landing bays. The flagship’s massive engines churned up and took off.
Back on the surface, Cal climbed down the ladder. He flipped the safety off his sidearm as he approached the building. A sign out front was caked with the red dust that was always swirling through the air. Cal wiped off the top layer. This was some kind of geological research station.
He pushed the swinging door open. A couple shafts of light filtered through the dust from holes in the ceiling but it was dark otherwise. The red dust was everywhere. But as much as Cal hated the stuff, it was doing him a huge favor right now. It was showing him footprints and, even better, the outlines of what was missing.
Cal swept through the facility. It looked like they took four machines, around four meters high by a couple wide. He took some pics of the scene with his visor then focusing on the machines that the missing ones were near. Everything that he was learning just fed that knot in his stomach. This wasn’t a raid. This was a heist. What were the machines? What could this Vanduul clan possibly use outdated tech for? What were they up to?
Penny chased Black Talon and the rest as far as she could. The second they broke out of atmo, the flagship unleashed a spray of cover fire. Looks like Grandpa gave them a punishing though. Hopefully they’ll think twice about hitting this system anytime soon.
“Alright, pilots. Back home.” The wing peeled away from pursuit and headed back to the Gemini, which had stabilized but still working its way free of the pull. Penny looked over the remnants of her wing. She ran down the list of the pilots who wouldn’t be reporting. Where was…
“Cal, copy?”
“Hey Penny. The Vanduuls still in the system?”
“Barely. They’re eighty-sixing at a clip.”
“Something’s not right, Penny. This wasn’t a raid.”
“What are you talking about Cal?”
“I need a favor.”
“I never like sentences that start out that way.”
“I need you to cover for me with Grandpa.”
“You gotta be joking, Cal.”
“I’ll check in when I have more. There’s something else going on here, Penny.”
Silence for a few moments.
“You know, Cal, one of these days I’m going to collect on all these favors.”
On the bridge of the Gemini, Admiral Showalter watched Penny and the other pilots return, a lot fewer than he would have liked. Then he saw Cal’s ship bust free from Yar. He was headed after the Vanduul flagship.
“Cal, you stupid son of a-“ . . . TO BE CONTINUED
German
Vierzig Prozent Schilde. Vier seiner Monitore hatten sich abgeschaltet. Nur noch zwei Raketen in der rechten Kapsel. Waffen und Treibstoff liefen gut. Das war die gute Nachricht. Die schlechte Nachricht? Cal Mason konnte nicht mehr lange auf Black Talon hämmern.
Penny und die anderen verwirrten sich immer noch mit dem Rest der Überfallgruppe. Der Himmel war ein Durcheinander von zerstreuenden Kondensstreifen und Rauchsäulen aus dem brennenden Wrack darunter. Cal musste sich konzentrieren. Er wusste, dass sich der Spieß umdrehen würde.
Black Talon Schnitt links, hart. Cal blieb bei ihm. Er feuerte einen Schuss ab, aber Black Talon drehte sich um die Schüsse, als wäre es nichts. Cal sah, wohin er unterwegs war. Der letzte Amboss war in der Ferne und schlug künstlerisch auf einen Raider ein.
Black Talon steuerte direkt auf das Netz der explodierenden Granaten zu.
An Bord der Gemini wurde Admiral Showalter zwischen dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff und Yars Anziehungskraft gefangen. Der massive Träger konnte beide Angriffe nicht mehr lange ertragen. Er starrte nur auf die Kartenkugel, studierte jede Position und wartete darauf, dass sich ein Stück präsentierte. Das Vanduul-Schiff war leicht erhöht über ihre Steuerbordseite. Sie waren angeln, um sie mit ihren großen Kanonen zu schlagen. Der Planet lag direkt unter ihrem Hafenhorizont.
"Sir. Wir können nicht hier bleiben." rief der Deckpilot. Showalter ignorierte ihn, sein Verstand wirbelte auf etwas, das einem Plan ähnelt.
" Sir!" Er schrie wieder. Showalter drehte sich um, es könnte funktionieren.
"Schneiden Sie die Hosenträgertriebwerke drei bis neun durch. Lass acht, zehn und zwölf um sechzig Prozent fallen."
"Aber Sir, das lässt uns fallen -"
"Auf den Planeten zu, richtig. Ich möchte, dass du Folgendes tust, und ich werde das nur einmal sagen." Alle hörten zu. So wie sie aussahen, dachten sie, der alte Mann hätte es endlich verloren.
Die Hauptkanonen auf dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff begannen sich zu erhitzen. An der Spitze der Fässer sammelte sich Energie und zog Elemente aus der Atmosphäre. Plötzlich neigte sich die Gemini zum Planeten hinab, backbordseitige Triebwerke blinkten und zwangen das massive Schiff in eine Kurve. Er schlenderte am Rande der Atmosphäre entlang und benutzte die Schwerkraft, um ihn herumzuschleudern, bis seine Backbordseite direkt unter dem Vanduul-Schiff anhielt.
Die Zwillinge entfesselten jede Waffe, die sie konnten, in den schwachen Unterbauch. Vanduul-Schilde flammten auf und versuchten, alle Angriffe abzulenken, aber das konnte es einfach nicht. Energieexplosionen schlugen durch den Rumpf, gefolgt von AP-Raketen. Zum ersten Mal wurden die Vanduul schwer verletzt.
Zurück auf Yar, weiche Cal jetzt den künstlerischen Runden aus. Heller, der Amboss-Pilot, versuchte, Black Talon zu führen, aber der Vanduul erwies sich als ebenso geschickt darin, indirektem Feuer auszuweichen, wie er selbst.
Penny fiel hinter Cal zurück. Es wurde offensichtlich, dass, obwohl der Vanduul in der Defensive war, er den Kampf diktierte. Das sollte sich ändern. Sie wollten Black Talon zusammen schlagen.
"Bist du bereit, Penny?"
"Lasst uns den Kerl abstauben." Cal grinste.
Irgendwie wusste Black Talon es. Die zweite Penny und Cal trennten sich in Angriffsposition, Panels, die auf die Black Talon geworfen wurden und sechs versteckte Triebwerke enthüllten. Er blitzte sie auf, um sich in halsbrecherischer Geschwindigkeit komplett zu drehen und raste auf sie zu. Cal webte, um den gleichen Flügelangriff zu vermeiden, der Poll in zwei Hälften geschnitten hat. Black Talon trat seine Nachbrenner und schoss zum Horizont und schloss sich diesem zweiten Flügel von Vanduul Scythes und Crawlers an, die für die alte Siedlung gesorgt hatten, und verschwand in der Atmosphäre.
Penny und der restliche Flügel gingen ihnen nach. Cal nicht. Etwas nagte an ihm. Er änderte den Kurs und ging zu den Gebäuden.
Das Flaggschiff der Vanduul humpelte davon. Die Zwillinge hatten das Blatt gewendet und einige ernsthafte Löcher in sie gebohrt, aber sie konnten nicht aufholen. Showalters gewagtes Manövrieren hatte die Zwillinge in den Gravitationshalten eingeschlossen. Wie ein Rover im Schlamm tat er alles, was er konnte, um sich zu befreien, Showalter konnte sehen, wie die Raider aus Yar auftauchten und in den mehreren Landebuchten verschwanden. Die massiven Triebwerke des Flaggschiffes explodierten und starteten.
Zurück an der Oberfläche kletterte Cal die Leiter hinunter. Er schaltete die Sicherung von seiner Pistole, als er sich dem Gebäude näherte. Ein Schild auf der Vorderseite war mit dem roten Staub bedeckt, der immer wieder durch die Luft wirbelte. Der Kaliber wurde von der oberen Schicht abgewischt. Das war eine Art geologische Forschungsstation.
Er schob die Schwenktür auf. Ein paar Lichtschächte filterten durch den Staub von Deckenlöchern, aber es war sonst dunkel. Der rote Staub war überall. Aber so sehr Cal das Zeug auch hasste, es tat ihm gerade einen großen Gefallen. Es zeigte ihm Fußspuren und, noch besser, die Umrisse dessen, was fehlte.
Cal fegte durch die Einrichtung. Es sah so aus, als ob sie vier Maschinen nahmen, etwa vier Meter hoch und ein paar Meter breit. Er machte einige Bilder der Szene mit seinem Visier und konzentrierte sich dann auf die Maschinen, bei denen die Vermissten in der Nähe waren. Alles, was er lernte, fütterte nur diesen Knoten in seinem Bauch. Das war keine Razzia. Das war ein Raubüberfall. Was waren die Maschinen? Wofür könnte dieser Vanduul-Clan möglicherweise veraltete Technologie verwenden? Was hatten sie vor?
Penny jagte Black Talon und den Rest so weit sie konnte. In der Sekunde, in der sie aus der Atmosphäre ausbrachen, löste das Flaggschiff einen Sprühregen von Deckungsfeuer aus. Sieht so aus, als hätte Großvater ihnen eine Bestrafung verpasst. Hoffentlich werden sie zweimal darüber nachdenken, dieses System in naher Zukunft zu erreichen.
"In Ordnung, Piloten. Zurück nach Hause." Der Flügel schälte sich von der Verfolgung ab und ging zurück zu den Zwillingen, die sich stabilisiert hatten, sich aber immer noch frei vom Zug arbeiteten. Penny schaute über die Überreste ihres Flügels. Sie hat die Liste der Piloten durchgesehen, die sich nicht melden würden. Wo war.....
"Cal, verstanden?"
"Hey Penny. Sind die Vanduuls noch im System?"
"Kaum. Sie sind 86 in einem Clip."
"Etwas stimmt nicht, Penny. Das war keine Razzia."
"Was redest du da von Cal?"
"Ich brauche einen Gefallen."
"Ich mag keine Sätze, die so beginnen."
"Du musst mich mit Opa decken."
"Du machst wohl Witze, Cal."
"Ich melde mich, wenn ich mehr habe. Hier geht noch etwas anderes vor sich, Penny."
Schweigen Sie für einen Moment.
"Weißt du, Cal, eines Tages werde ich all diese Gefälligkeiten sammeln."
Auf der Brücke des Gemini beobachtete Admiral Showalter, wie Penny und die anderen Piloten zurückkehrten, viel weniger, als er sich gewünscht hätte. Dann sah er, wie Kal's Schiff von Yar befreit wurde. Er war auf dem Weg nach dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff.
"Cal, du dummer Sohn von a-"
. . . WIRD FORTGESETZT
Penny und die anderen verwirrten sich immer noch mit dem Rest der Überfallgruppe. Der Himmel war ein Durcheinander von zerstreuenden Kondensstreifen und Rauchsäulen aus dem brennenden Wrack darunter. Cal musste sich konzentrieren. Er wusste, dass sich der Spieß umdrehen würde.
Black Talon Schnitt links, hart. Cal blieb bei ihm. Er feuerte einen Schuss ab, aber Black Talon drehte sich um die Schüsse, als wäre es nichts. Cal sah, wohin er unterwegs war. Der letzte Amboss war in der Ferne und schlug künstlerisch auf einen Raider ein.
Black Talon steuerte direkt auf das Netz der explodierenden Granaten zu.
An Bord der Gemini wurde Admiral Showalter zwischen dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff und Yars Anziehungskraft gefangen. Der massive Träger konnte beide Angriffe nicht mehr lange ertragen. Er starrte nur auf die Kartenkugel, studierte jede Position und wartete darauf, dass sich ein Stück präsentierte. Das Vanduul-Schiff war leicht erhöht über ihre Steuerbordseite. Sie waren angeln, um sie mit ihren großen Kanonen zu schlagen. Der Planet lag direkt unter ihrem Hafenhorizont.
"Sir. Wir können nicht hier bleiben." rief der Deckpilot. Showalter ignorierte ihn, sein Verstand wirbelte auf etwas, das einem Plan ähnelt.
" Sir!" Er schrie wieder. Showalter drehte sich um, es könnte funktionieren.
"Schneiden Sie die Hosenträgertriebwerke drei bis neun durch. Lass acht, zehn und zwölf um sechzig Prozent fallen."
"Aber Sir, das lässt uns fallen -"
"Auf den Planeten zu, richtig. Ich möchte, dass du Folgendes tust, und ich werde das nur einmal sagen." Alle hörten zu. So wie sie aussahen, dachten sie, der alte Mann hätte es endlich verloren.
Die Hauptkanonen auf dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff begannen sich zu erhitzen. An der Spitze der Fässer sammelte sich Energie und zog Elemente aus der Atmosphäre. Plötzlich neigte sich die Gemini zum Planeten hinab, backbordseitige Triebwerke blinkten und zwangen das massive Schiff in eine Kurve. Er schlenderte am Rande der Atmosphäre entlang und benutzte die Schwerkraft, um ihn herumzuschleudern, bis seine Backbordseite direkt unter dem Vanduul-Schiff anhielt.
Die Zwillinge entfesselten jede Waffe, die sie konnten, in den schwachen Unterbauch. Vanduul-Schilde flammten auf und versuchten, alle Angriffe abzulenken, aber das konnte es einfach nicht. Energieexplosionen schlugen durch den Rumpf, gefolgt von AP-Raketen. Zum ersten Mal wurden die Vanduul schwer verletzt.
Zurück auf Yar, weiche Cal jetzt den künstlerischen Runden aus. Heller, der Amboss-Pilot, versuchte, Black Talon zu führen, aber der Vanduul erwies sich als ebenso geschickt darin, indirektem Feuer auszuweichen, wie er selbst.
Penny fiel hinter Cal zurück. Es wurde offensichtlich, dass, obwohl der Vanduul in der Defensive war, er den Kampf diktierte. Das sollte sich ändern. Sie wollten Black Talon zusammen schlagen.
"Bist du bereit, Penny?"
"Lasst uns den Kerl abstauben." Cal grinste.
Irgendwie wusste Black Talon es. Die zweite Penny und Cal trennten sich in Angriffsposition, Panels, die auf die Black Talon geworfen wurden und sechs versteckte Triebwerke enthüllten. Er blitzte sie auf, um sich in halsbrecherischer Geschwindigkeit komplett zu drehen und raste auf sie zu. Cal webte, um den gleichen Flügelangriff zu vermeiden, der Poll in zwei Hälften geschnitten hat. Black Talon trat seine Nachbrenner und schoss zum Horizont und schloss sich diesem zweiten Flügel von Vanduul Scythes und Crawlers an, die für die alte Siedlung gesorgt hatten, und verschwand in der Atmosphäre.
Penny und der restliche Flügel gingen ihnen nach. Cal nicht. Etwas nagte an ihm. Er änderte den Kurs und ging zu den Gebäuden.
Das Flaggschiff der Vanduul humpelte davon. Die Zwillinge hatten das Blatt gewendet und einige ernsthafte Löcher in sie gebohrt, aber sie konnten nicht aufholen. Showalters gewagtes Manövrieren hatte die Zwillinge in den Gravitationshalten eingeschlossen. Wie ein Rover im Schlamm tat er alles, was er konnte, um sich zu befreien, Showalter konnte sehen, wie die Raider aus Yar auftauchten und in den mehreren Landebuchten verschwanden. Die massiven Triebwerke des Flaggschiffes explodierten und starteten.
Zurück an der Oberfläche kletterte Cal die Leiter hinunter. Er schaltete die Sicherung von seiner Pistole, als er sich dem Gebäude näherte. Ein Schild auf der Vorderseite war mit dem roten Staub bedeckt, der immer wieder durch die Luft wirbelte. Der Kaliber wurde von der oberen Schicht abgewischt. Das war eine Art geologische Forschungsstation.
Er schob die Schwenktür auf. Ein paar Lichtschächte filterten durch den Staub von Deckenlöchern, aber es war sonst dunkel. Der rote Staub war überall. Aber so sehr Cal das Zeug auch hasste, es tat ihm gerade einen großen Gefallen. Es zeigte ihm Fußspuren und, noch besser, die Umrisse dessen, was fehlte.
Cal fegte durch die Einrichtung. Es sah so aus, als ob sie vier Maschinen nahmen, etwa vier Meter hoch und ein paar Meter breit. Er machte einige Bilder der Szene mit seinem Visier und konzentrierte sich dann auf die Maschinen, bei denen die Vermissten in der Nähe waren. Alles, was er lernte, fütterte nur diesen Knoten in seinem Bauch. Das war keine Razzia. Das war ein Raubüberfall. Was waren die Maschinen? Wofür könnte dieser Vanduul-Clan möglicherweise veraltete Technologie verwenden? Was hatten sie vor?
Penny jagte Black Talon und den Rest so weit sie konnte. In der Sekunde, in der sie aus der Atmosphäre ausbrachen, löste das Flaggschiff einen Sprühregen von Deckungsfeuer aus. Sieht so aus, als hätte Großvater ihnen eine Bestrafung verpasst. Hoffentlich werden sie zweimal darüber nachdenken, dieses System in naher Zukunft zu erreichen.
"In Ordnung, Piloten. Zurück nach Hause." Der Flügel schälte sich von der Verfolgung ab und ging zurück zu den Zwillingen, die sich stabilisiert hatten, sich aber immer noch frei vom Zug arbeiteten. Penny schaute über die Überreste ihres Flügels. Sie hat die Liste der Piloten durchgesehen, die sich nicht melden würden. Wo war.....
"Cal, verstanden?"
"Hey Penny. Sind die Vanduuls noch im System?"
"Kaum. Sie sind 86 in einem Clip."
"Etwas stimmt nicht, Penny. Das war keine Razzia."
"Was redest du da von Cal?"
"Ich brauche einen Gefallen."
"Ich mag keine Sätze, die so beginnen."
"Du musst mich mit Opa decken."
"Du machst wohl Witze, Cal."
"Ich melde mich, wenn ich mehr habe. Hier geht noch etwas anderes vor sich, Penny."
Schweigen Sie für einen Moment.
"Weißt du, Cal, eines Tages werde ich all diese Gefälligkeiten sammeln."
Auf der Brücke des Gemini beobachtete Admiral Showalter, wie Penny und die anderen Piloten zurückkehrten, viel weniger, als er sich gewünscht hätte. Dann sah er, wie Kal's Schiff von Yar befreit wurde. Er war auf dem Weg nach dem Vanduul-Flaggschiff.
"Cal, du dummer Sohn von a-"
. . . WIRD FORTGESETZT
Chinese
Forty percent shields. Four of his monitors had cut off. Only two missiles left in the right wing pod. Guns and fuel were doing okay. That was the good news. The bad news? Cal Mason couldn’t keep hammering at Black Talon for much longer.
Penny and the others were still tangling with the rest of the raiding party. The skies were a mess of dissipating contrails and columns of smoke from the burning wreckage below. Cal had to keep his focus. He knew the tables could turn at any moment.
Black Talon cut left, hard. Cal stayed on him. He fired a burst but Black Talon pirouetted around the shots like it was nothing. Cal saw where he was headed. The last Anvil was at distance, pounding arty at a Raider.
Black Talon was heading right for the web of exploding shells.
Aboard the Gemini, Admiral Showalter was trapped between the Vanduul flagship and Yar’s gravitational pull. The massive carrier couldn’t sustain either assault for much longer. He just stared at the mapsphere, studying every position, waiting for a play to present itself. The Vanduul ship was slightly elevated above their starboard side. They were angling to hit them with their big guns. The planet was just below their port horizon.
“Sir. We can’t stay here.” The deck-pilot shouted. Showalter ignored him, his mind churning on something resembling a plan.
“Sir!” He shouted again. Showalter turned, it could work.
“Cut suspensor thrusters three through nine. Drop eight, ten, and twelve by sixty percent.”
“But sir, that’ll drop us –“
“Toward the planet, right. Here’s what I want you to do and I’m only going to say this once.” Everyone listened. From the look on their faces, they thought the old man had finally lost it.
The main guns on the Vanduul flagship started heating up. Energy coalesced at the tip of the barrels, pulling elements from the atmosphere. Suddenly the Gemini pitched down toward the planet, port side thrusters flashed, forcing the massive ship into a turn. It skirted along the edge of the atmosphere, using the gravity to slingshot it around, until its port side stopped directly underneath the Vanduul ship.
The Gemini unleashed every weapon it could into the weak underbelly. Vanduul shields flared up, trying to divert all the attacks but it just couldn’t. Energy blasts punched through the hull followed by AP rockets. For the first time, the Vanduul were getting a serious hurt put on them.
Back on Yar, Cal was now dodging arty rounds. Heller, the Anvil Pilot, was trying to lead Black Talon but the Vanduul was proving as adept at dodging indirect fire as he was at direct.
Penny fell in behind Cal. It was becoming obvious that even though the Vanduul was on the defensive, he was dictating the fight. That was going to change. They were going to hit Black Talon together.
“You ready, Penny?”
“Let’s dust this guy.” Cal grinned.
Somehow Black Talon knew. The second Penny and Cal separated into attack position, panels ejected on the Black Talon revealing six hidden thrusters. He flashed them to spin completely around in breakneck speed and rocket toward them. Cal weaved to avoid the same wing attack that sliced Poll in two. Black Talon kicked its afterburners and shot toward the horizon, rejoining that second wing of Vanduul Scythes and Crawlers, the ones who bee-lined for the old settlement, and disappeared up into the atmosphere.
Penny and the remaining wing went after them. Cal didn’t. Something was gnawing at him. He changed course and headed for the buildings.
The Vanduul flagship was limping away. The Gemini had turned the tide and put some serious holes in it but it couldn’t catch up. Showalter’s daring maneuvering had locked the Gemini in the gravitational hold. Like a rover in the mud, it was doing all it could to try and break free, Showalter could see the Raiders emerge from Yar and disappear into the multiple landing bays. The flagship’s massive engines churned up and took off.
Back on the surface, Cal climbed down the ladder. He flipped the safety off his sidearm as he approached the building. A sign out front was caked with the red dust that was always swirling through the air. Cal wiped off the top layer. This was some kind of geological research station.
He pushed the swinging door open. A couple shafts of light filtered through the dust from holes in the ceiling but it was dark otherwise. The red dust was everywhere. But as much as Cal hated the stuff, it was doing him a huge favor right now. It was showing him footprints and, even better, the outlines of what was missing.
Cal swept through the facility. It looked like they took four machines, around four meters high by a couple wide. He took some pics of the scene with his visor then focusing on the machines that the missing ones were near. Everything that he was learning just fed that knot in his stomach. This wasn’t a raid. This was a heist. What were the machines? What could this Vanduul clan possibly use outdated tech for? What were they up to?
Penny chased Black Talon and the rest as far as she could. The second they broke out of atmo, the flagship unleashed a spray of cover fire. Looks like Grandpa gave them a punishing though. Hopefully they’ll think twice about hitting this system anytime soon.
“Alright, pilots. Back home.” The wing peeled away from pursuit and headed back to the Gemini, which had stabilized but still working its way free of the pull. Penny looked over the remnants of her wing. She ran down the list of the pilots who wouldn’t be reporting. Where was…
“Cal, copy?”
“Hey Penny. The Vanduuls still in the system?”
“Barely. They’re eighty-sixing at a clip.”
“Something’s not right, Penny. This wasn’t a raid.”
“What are you talking about Cal?”
“I need a favor.”
“I never like sentences that start out that way.”
“I need you to cover for me with Grandpa.”
“You gotta be joking, Cal.”
“I’ll check in when I have more. There’s something else going on here, Penny.”
Silence for a few moments.
“You know, Cal, one of these days I’m going to collect on all these favors.”
On the bridge of the Gemini, Admiral Showalter watched Penny and the other pilots return, a lot fewer than he would have liked. Then he saw Cal’s ship bust free from Yar. He was headed after the Vanduul flagship.
“Cal, you stupid son of a-“ . . . TO BE CONTINUED
Penny and the others were still tangling with the rest of the raiding party. The skies were a mess of dissipating contrails and columns of smoke from the burning wreckage below. Cal had to keep his focus. He knew the tables could turn at any moment.
Black Talon cut left, hard. Cal stayed on him. He fired a burst but Black Talon pirouetted around the shots like it was nothing. Cal saw where he was headed. The last Anvil was at distance, pounding arty at a Raider.
Black Talon was heading right for the web of exploding shells.
Aboard the Gemini, Admiral Showalter was trapped between the Vanduul flagship and Yar’s gravitational pull. The massive carrier couldn’t sustain either assault for much longer. He just stared at the mapsphere, studying every position, waiting for a play to present itself. The Vanduul ship was slightly elevated above their starboard side. They were angling to hit them with their big guns. The planet was just below their port horizon.
“Sir. We can’t stay here.” The deck-pilot shouted. Showalter ignored him, his mind churning on something resembling a plan.
“Sir!” He shouted again. Showalter turned, it could work.
“Cut suspensor thrusters three through nine. Drop eight, ten, and twelve by sixty percent.”
“But sir, that’ll drop us –“
“Toward the planet, right. Here’s what I want you to do and I’m only going to say this once.” Everyone listened. From the look on their faces, they thought the old man had finally lost it.
The main guns on the Vanduul flagship started heating up. Energy coalesced at the tip of the barrels, pulling elements from the atmosphere. Suddenly the Gemini pitched down toward the planet, port side thrusters flashed, forcing the massive ship into a turn. It skirted along the edge of the atmosphere, using the gravity to slingshot it around, until its port side stopped directly underneath the Vanduul ship.
The Gemini unleashed every weapon it could into the weak underbelly. Vanduul shields flared up, trying to divert all the attacks but it just couldn’t. Energy blasts punched through the hull followed by AP rockets. For the first time, the Vanduul were getting a serious hurt put on them.
Back on Yar, Cal was now dodging arty rounds. Heller, the Anvil Pilot, was trying to lead Black Talon but the Vanduul was proving as adept at dodging indirect fire as he was at direct.
Penny fell in behind Cal. It was becoming obvious that even though the Vanduul was on the defensive, he was dictating the fight. That was going to change. They were going to hit Black Talon together.
“You ready, Penny?”
“Let’s dust this guy.” Cal grinned.
Somehow Black Talon knew. The second Penny and Cal separated into attack position, panels ejected on the Black Talon revealing six hidden thrusters. He flashed them to spin completely around in breakneck speed and rocket toward them. Cal weaved to avoid the same wing attack that sliced Poll in two. Black Talon kicked its afterburners and shot toward the horizon, rejoining that second wing of Vanduul Scythes and Crawlers, the ones who bee-lined for the old settlement, and disappeared up into the atmosphere.
Penny and the remaining wing went after them. Cal didn’t. Something was gnawing at him. He changed course and headed for the buildings.
The Vanduul flagship was limping away. The Gemini had turned the tide and put some serious holes in it but it couldn’t catch up. Showalter’s daring maneuvering had locked the Gemini in the gravitational hold. Like a rover in the mud, it was doing all it could to try and break free, Showalter could see the Raiders emerge from Yar and disappear into the multiple landing bays. The flagship’s massive engines churned up and took off.
Back on the surface, Cal climbed down the ladder. He flipped the safety off his sidearm as he approached the building. A sign out front was caked with the red dust that was always swirling through the air. Cal wiped off the top layer. This was some kind of geological research station.
He pushed the swinging door open. A couple shafts of light filtered through the dust from holes in the ceiling but it was dark otherwise. The red dust was everywhere. But as much as Cal hated the stuff, it was doing him a huge favor right now. It was showing him footprints and, even better, the outlines of what was missing.
Cal swept through the facility. It looked like they took four machines, around four meters high by a couple wide. He took some pics of the scene with his visor then focusing on the machines that the missing ones were near. Everything that he was learning just fed that knot in his stomach. This wasn’t a raid. This was a heist. What were the machines? What could this Vanduul clan possibly use outdated tech for? What were they up to?
Penny chased Black Talon and the rest as far as she could. The second they broke out of atmo, the flagship unleashed a spray of cover fire. Looks like Grandpa gave them a punishing though. Hopefully they’ll think twice about hitting this system anytime soon.
“Alright, pilots. Back home.” The wing peeled away from pursuit and headed back to the Gemini, which had stabilized but still working its way free of the pull. Penny looked over the remnants of her wing. She ran down the list of the pilots who wouldn’t be reporting. Where was…
“Cal, copy?”
“Hey Penny. The Vanduuls still in the system?”
“Barely. They’re eighty-sixing at a clip.”
“Something’s not right, Penny. This wasn’t a raid.”
“What are you talking about Cal?”
“I need a favor.”
“I never like sentences that start out that way.”
“I need you to cover for me with Grandpa.”
“You gotta be joking, Cal.”
“I’ll check in when I have more. There’s something else going on here, Penny.”
Silence for a few moments.
“You know, Cal, one of these days I’m going to collect on all these favors.”
On the bridge of the Gemini, Admiral Showalter watched Penny and the other pilots return, a lot fewer than he would have liked. Then he saw Cal’s ship bust free from Yar. He was headed after the Vanduul flagship.
“Cal, you stupid son of a-“ . . . TO BE CONTINUED
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Metadata
- CIG ID
- 12758
- Channel
- Undefined
- Category
- Undefined
- Series
- Cassandra's Tears
- Comments
- 53
- Published
- 13 years ago (2012-11-02T00:00:00+00:00)