Alarm of War

grinning broadly, holding up the bloody spear.

“Oh, I like this!” he roared.

“Get one of their pistols, Wisnioswski,” she barked.

He held one up in his other hand. “I got one, Sarge, but can I keep my spear, too?”

“I’ve created a monster,” she muttered. “Everybody, keep moving! Don’t stop!”

More Marines joined them and they surged forward. Somewhere ahead lay the Bridge.

The Vengeance fired its heavy lasers and shot twenty missiles at close range, leaving no time for the Galway to dodge. The Galway was well out in front of the other ships and radiating loudly on the Vengeance’s sensors. It never stood a chance. Its last missile had barely left the launch rails when six lasers sliced into it, leaving the Galway’s forward missile rooms open to vacuum. It explosively vented air and bodies and debris and began to roll over. But not for long. Of the twenty missiles, fourteen struck it, penetrating deep into its interior before detonating. The result was catastrophic.

The H.M.S. Galway broke in half like a rotten stick. Its stern section spun off in one direction while its torn and mangled bow compartments cart-wheeled off in another. Seventeen crew members were still alive, locked in a small cabin that was airtight. They ran out of air before the cold could kill them.

“Chaff and decoys!” Emily screamed. Both her hands were shaking now and she tucked them into her armpits. “Get back into the minefield!” Sensors had finally located the Dominion battleship that had ambushed them from less than a thousand miles. “All ships, lock onto the Duck battleship and fire lasers! Now!”

She felt the ‘thrummm’ of the giant capacitors discharging, followed by the familiar screeching whine as they began their recharge cycle. On the holo display, she could see the high-speed trail of the Galway’s Code Omega drone as it sped from the ruined hulk toward the space station Atlas, where itwould report that yet another Victorian ship was lost.

“We are back in the minefield, Captain,” Rahim Bahawalanzai reported from the pilot’s seat. Even the unshakeable pilot sounded rattled.

Emily nodded, already pushing the Galway from her mind as she took in the next threat. Behind them the Dominion battleship had launched another volley of missiles at their last location and she watched as they destroyed several mines. The explosion of the Galway acted like chaff, she thought. The Ducks couldn’t see where we ran to. On the far side of the battle display, the Galway’s Code Omega drone finally disappeared off the screen. Then there was another series of explosions, this time closer, as the Duck cruisers joined in the fun.

“Message from the Kent,” Betty announced. Emily nodded at her to put it on. In a moment a very angry Captain Stein was facing her.

“You’re killing us, Tuttle!” she snapped. “We cannot trade ship for goddam ship with these guys and expect to win.”

Grant Skiffington joined the conference, his face grim. “What are we going to do, Emily?”

“We are going to fall back to the Atlas!” Stein jumped in. “That’s the only card left now. Suffering Christ! We sure aren’t doing any good out here.”

“Emily,” Grant Skiffington began, but Emily held up a hand to silence them both.

“We’re moving to the inner edge of the minefield, nearer to the Atlas. Once there, we’ll position ourselves to shoot the first Dominion ship that sticks its nose out of the minefield.”

“Shoot them! Shoot them with what?” Stein shouted. “I’ve got six missiles left. Six! Half my lasers are gone and my capacitors are taking ten minutes to recharge.”

Emily looked at Grant. He smiled mirthlessly. ““I’ve got half my lasers. I’ve got nine missile tubes functioning and enough missiles for two volleys.”

Emily nodded. The New Zealand had thirteen missile tubes and twenty missiles left, but only five laser batteries still functioning.

“We follow the plan,” she said evenly. “Fall back with me to the inner edge of the minefield and get ready to fire when the first Duck comes through.”

“We won’t survive that,” Stein said flatly.

“The goal is for Atlas to survive,” Emily replied.

“Sweet Gods of Our Mothers,” Stein muttered.

“Listen, Emily,” Grant began. “If we fall back to the Atlas, maybe we can re-arm and-”

“Merlin!” Emily called.

“Captain Tuttle?” the AI replied.

“Launch the Code Omega drone.”

“Order accepted.” A pause. “The Code Omega drone is launched.”

Emily looked at her two other captains. They stared back grimly. Perhaps a little defiantly? They knew what she was doing. “Launch your Code Omega drones, then power down and go as stealthy as you can and follow me. If we get separated, meet at-” She gave the coordinates. She cut the communications before either of them could object.

Emily sat back in her chair, careful not to let any of her inner turmoil show on her face.

A long minute later, Merlin reported: “Sensors reports Code Omega from both the Yorkshire and Kent. Do you wish to commence rescue operations?”

Emily took a deep breath and held herself in check. Do not shout at the computer, she told herself. “Merlin, what is the status of the minefield? How long to breach by the Dominions?”

“The minefield will be breached in approximately forty minutes,” Merlin said.

The New Zealand went to stealth conditions and moved slowly toward the inner edge of the minefield. Alex Rudd came to stand beside her. “Alex?” she asked softly. “Are the Yorkshire and Kent following us?”

“Yes, Emily,” he reassured her. “They’re close behind us.”

Thank God, she thought. Her hands trembled. She tucked them under her thighs and sat on them.

Further behind them, the Dominion ships resumed blasting their way through the minefield.

Emily wondered how Cookie was doing.

The Sensors Officer on the Dominion Vengeance turned to Admiral Mello. “Sir! The Victorian ships just launched their Omega drones. But they’re still alive, Admiral. Sensors caught a glimpse of them before they went into stealth mode.” The Sensors Officer looked bewildered. “Why would they do that?”

Mello grunted, stroking his chin. He nodded to himself. He admired this Victorian, whoever he was. “The Victorian admiral leading those ships just told us that they will fight to the death. They will not run away.” Then, mindful that his bridge crew was watching him, he smiled wolfishly.

“So, we’ll just have to kill them all, won’t we?”

Chapter 70

On the Dominion Vengeance

Cookie dove for cover as a fusillade of flechettes pinged off the bulkhead just above her. The two Marines immediately in front jerked backwards, blood spurting in waves as their headless bodies crashed to the floor. Cookie snatched up their air guns and passed them back. “Give these to someone who only has a spear,” she told the private behind her. Gods of Our Mothers, what she would give for a powered battle suit. Armor. Weapons. Amplified sensors. Medical support mods. March right through the bastards and take the bridge in ten minutes. Kill ‘em all.

If wishes were horses, she thought ruefully, beggars would ride. She turned to the soldiers behind her, thirty or more, all armed with air guns, and all staring at her wide-eyed. “There’s only three or four of them in front of us. You, you and you-”she pointed. “Lay down suppressing fire. The rest of you run right at them. We are running out of time. Now move!”