Alpha Man Chapter 14

[Ed Man]

The Exaireo
Chapter14

The Mandalay was in the refit bay when they docked. There it was the Exaireo. It was dazzling to Josh the ship was larger and had a polished glossy black finish with gold colored pin stripes and a large red Phoenix across the top and wings.
The front four weapons were multipurpose. At the maximum range of 4.7km the rate of fire was as fast and powerful as a BHPT. At 1.75km and less the power is the same but the rate of fire increases 35%.
The two rear turrets had modified GPAC at a 40% increased fire rate and 30% increase in range. They were mounted top and bottom and had full range on rear and sides and up to 5 degrees to center front.
All the weapons had a centered target beam the pulse followed like a magnet. If the ion beam was increased and the pulse decrease the shields were drained with little hull damage.

Josh took Ann aboard and gave her the grand tour explaining the new technologies onboard. Ann asked. “When can I have one?”

Josh thought a moment and replied. “As soon as we capture an Orinoco chasse to refit. Sarah give me the location of known Pirate Orinoco ships in friendly space.”

Ann and Josh looked at the list and headings one stuck out. It had left a space-weed factory and was headed for the Pirate Sectors. They had just enough time to undock and jump to Thuruk’s Beard and be waiting.

As they were undocking Josh had Sarah take the Excel and jump to Argon Prime to retrieve the Jump-drives. Then jump to Thuruk’s Beard Equipment Dock and install one on the Lifter.

The Exaireo glided through the East Gate ahead of the Pirates. Josh pulled the Exaireo to a safe distance for battle away from the Gate.
The Exaireo was not as responsive as the Zipper so Josh went through a few moves to get use to the big bird. She was fast and responsive some light fighters were faster and more responsive if they were to slip by that’s where the turrets came in. They were faster and had a range of fire that a small fighter couldn’t avoid.

There they were an Orinoco a Bayamon and two Mandalays. Josh waited till they were a safe distance from the Gate moved in and scanned the ships. There it was weed on the Orinoco.

“Remember Sarah we want to capture these ships.” Josh closed to firing range and hailed the Orinoco. “Pirate Orinoco drop your shields and surrender!”

The Pirate ships parted to get behind the Exaireo as Josh switched to two main weapons and lowered the output. The rear turrets were all ready firing on the Pirates as they tried to move into place to fire.

One Mandalay was already badly damaged and out off the battle as Josh opened fire on the Orinoco dropping the shields.
The other two were trying to get away from the turrets as the other Mandalay Pilot ejected. The Bayamon was out of range as he launched missiles just to see them taken out by the turrets. He then made a wide fast sweep staying out of range letting his shields recharge to make a frontal assault.

Josh dived beneath the Orinoco and set the weapons full range and fired on the Bayamon as the top turret fired on the Orinoco.

The Bayamon exploded in a ball of fire before he could fire. The Orinoco's shields were gone and the hull was taking damage as the Pilot ejected.
Sarah had already claimed and sent the Mandalay to the Equipment Dock. Sarah claimed the Orinoco ejected the weed and sent it to the Equipment Dock.

Josh then turned to last Mandalay that was severely damaged and said. “Give up Pilot. Sacrifice your ship or life the choice is yours!”

The pilot ejected and was picked up by Sector Security along with the other two.
Josh claimed the Mandalay and sent it to the Equipment Dock with the others.

The Excel had entered the sector and was headed to dock as Josh picked up missiles from the Bayamon and headed to the Equipment Dock.

After landing Josh had the extra jump-drive installed on the Orinoco and sent it to Salas to be refitted like the Exaireo. And sent the Lifter to the Argon Prime Equipment dock with the other ships for Robert.

“Ann would you take the Excel and retrieve the jump-drives and bring them back here so Sarah can install them on the Mandalay fighters? On second thought it will be a while before the ships are ready how would you like to go and shoot some Xenon scouts and get use to this big bird seeing your going to get one?”

Ann looked at Josh and smiled saying. “Sounds good to me! I wanting to fly the ship since I seen it. Sims are great but there’s nothing like the real thing.”

Josh had Sarah take the Excel and Zipper to retrieve the jump-drives as they jumped to Scale Plate Green to do a little target practice.

Ann handled the ship like a pro as the Xenon entered the sector Josh had Ann apply different methods of attack. Then Josh showed Ann how to utilize the weapons. Josh explained anyone could blow a ship up. But sometimes certain areas or systems need to be destroyed or damaged.

Josh had Ann lure some fighters out to space to practice on and capture. Ann was a fast learner and took to the ship like it had been made for her.

They had picked up quite a selection of missiles and light shields. Ann had captured an M4 and three M5 and had sent them to the Teladi Shipyard in the next sector to sell.

They were about to go to the neighboring Argon Sectors and take a break when Sarah informed them.
“Josh there is Xenon M1 about to enter the sector. It entered Black Hole Sun with an M2 after a heated battle the M1 was severely damaged and the M2 was destroyed in Omicron Lyrae protecting the M1.
The launch bay was damaged early in the battle and the bulk of the fighters are trapped inside. Front and port weapons are offline. Shields are two 125meg and a 25meg the other two slots are damaged and offline.

“Ann the Teladi won’t engage a capitol ship here unless it blows up half the sector first. They have an if you don’t bother me I won't bother you tactic about the Xenon.
We can destroy or capture this beast the ships in the bays would be worth a fortune to the military to study if we can capture it. Even if we have to blow it up we can strip and salvage parts to sell and outfit our ships.” Josh explained to Ann as the M1 entered the sector like a gigantic beast trying to reach safety.

Ann agreed as Josh took command of the Exaireo as Ann scanned and monitored the M1. Josh fired on the wounded beast as it slowly turned to engage the Exaireo. Josh fired and ran leading the M1 out to open space away from the stations.

The M1 chased the Exaireo out till Josh turned and fired staying out of range of the M1.
Josh concentrated the weapons fire on the generators to put the M1 out of action.
The weapons generator was destroyed as Josh closed and increased the disrupter flow at a closer more powerful range.

Ann monitored as system after system shutdown. Finely the M1 was dead in space as the last system failed.

“Sarah access the ship and shut down any self-destruct or traps onboard. And shut down the fighters onboard. Then clam the M1 and inventory the ships and freight and place the list on the monitor in back by the table.” Josh ordered as they made their way into the living quarters.

Josh looked at the list there were various ship weapons, missiles and shields. There was 15Ns, 10Ms and 8Ls all trapped in the landing bay.
Josh and Ann looked at the list and realized that the ship needed to be moved to a safer place. The next sector had a Shipyard and a Carrier, which meant safety.
Greed makes men do stupid things and a chance to steel or take a prize like this meant not if but when!

“Sarah are they any repair drones onboard the M1? And can you use them to get the Carrier and launch-bay repaired so it can move to the next sector? We need three of the Ls to guard the M1 ASAP.” Josh asked.

“Yes they are 10 worker and 12 repair drones onboard. I need to board and reprogram them first. I can use one of the drones onboard to transport over and get started.
The launch-bay will take about 5 hours to repair. The ship with one shield and 3 turrets will be ready in 7hours. The ship will be ready to fly in 14hours.” Sarah explained.

Josh had Sarah transport the drone over and start work. Ann had her Dolphin jump to the sector so they could transport the supplies from the M1 onboard. Now all they had to do was wait and be quite till the work was done. Like the old saying. Loose lips sinks ships. Josh and Ann wanted to keep the capture of the M1 quite till they were ready and then they were going to auction the untouched Xenon fighters and M1 of in a Government auction. Josh wanted to send each race a shutdown N with an invitation to bid on the rest.
The only way to transport ships was to load them on a TL or Carrier. Josh thought that now would be a good time to design a transport ship that could join onto a ship and jump away.

After hours of ideals and designs Josh decided on a tug that could clamp on a ship like a dock then jump away. For the capital ships a self powered jump-drive that could be transported aboard and then jump the ship to a secure sector where the tug could move it to a shipyard or area to be repaired.

Three tugs could move a capital ship with ease with one on the bow and one on starboard aft and one on the port aft.

And as a recovery ship for damaged ships willing to pay for a tow to port. There was a need for a ship like these. There were repair ships and TL’s that would help out but both were very expensive and hard to find when you need one.

Ann and Josh were talking the new tug design as Sarah informed them the launch bay was repaired and the Ls were deployed.
The danger of attack was just about over three Ls and a bay full of fighters was too dangerous for Pirates.

Josh had called the Excel and Zipper to there position. As the ships were forming up with the Exaireo and Dolphin Sarah informed Josh he had just received a coded massage from the Split.

Josh asked Sarah to place it on the monitor.
“Mr. Galen we are in need of your assistance. A redesigned Elephant in its finale trial runs had been loaded with a Solar Power Plant for deployment. After the TL launched our new M6 prototype blew up we have discovered that Pirates had managed to place a group of spies within the crew of the Elephant. They have taken control of the ship and a wing of four Falcons and six Bayamons escorting the TL to the Pirate Sectors. The Split Government wants the TL stopped before it leaves our space. We have a Transport in pursuit with a team of Marines onboard escorted by six Mamba Fighters.
The Split Government will pay you 700,000 credits to disable their drives and weapons. You are not to destroy the TL our forces will retake control when they arrive. You can take out the escorts only if they fire on you. We want to capture and make an example out of these Pirates who thank they can do violence to the Split Government.”

“Ann I need you to stay here and watch the Carrier until I get back. You read the offer I can take out the drive and weapons on the TL at range. And the escorts too if they come after me.” Josh stated.

Ann reminded Josh that no job was a simple one and to be careful as she transported over to her Dolphin.

Josh jumped to the South Gate and headed to the North Gate to intersect the TL as it entered. Josh took up a high position above the North Gate.
The TL entered with a pair of Falcons and Bayamons escorting. Josh scanned the TL the other fighters were docked. The ship was as fast as the fighters were so the drives were first then the weapons.

Josh waited till they a safe distance away and above the stations moved in and fired on the engines.
Josh damage one of the drives before he had to stop and fire on the Bayamons that were on an intercept course.
The TL turned all most on an intercept course as the fighters pored out of the docking bay.

Josh sent the two Bayamons up in flames as the others broke wide out of range. The Falcons took up position behind the TL as the Bayamons flew wide and behind and beside the Exaireo.

Josh used the time to take out the front weapons on the TL. Then moved so he could take out the engines and rear turret.

The enemy fighters moved staying out of range as Josh moved. The Falcons used the TL as a shield as they moved staying close to the TL.

Josh knew that the Bayamons were moving to attack from the rear. But they didn’t know about the rear turrets. The Falcons charged in a row so when their shielding dropped they could fall to the rear as the next in line was fired on. Giving the first ships shields time to recharge.

Josh fired on the TL till the port engine was disabled then fired on the Falcons. The first Falcon moved. Then the second Falcon moved to the rear. They were just about in range as the third one moved. The last Falcon opened fire as Josh dodged the fire moving to engage the Falcons.

The rear turrets were firing on the Bayamons as Josh opened fire on the Falcon with the lowest shield rate.

Josh Fired on the Falcon till it went up in a ball of Fire. The turrets had destroyed a Bayamon and damaged another.

The shields on the Exaireo were at 65 percent so he pulled away giving fire to a Falcon as he retreated from the battle to let the shields recover.

Two and 1/2 down and 5 more to go Josh thought as he turned back to the enemy. The shields were at 75 percent and climbing as he picked the next Falcon. Josh fired on the Falcon as the turrets fired on two Bayamons trying to escape to recharge their shields.

One of the Bayamons made it as the other ejected. Josh strafed up letting fire from the enemy hit there own ship causing him to eject from the Falcon.
The Pirates regrouped as Josh went for the TL. The pilot ejected from the damaged Bayamon and was picked up as the last three escort ships fled for the South Gate. The battle had not went well for the Pirates so they cut there loses and run.

Josh clamed the ships and sent them to the Equipment Dock as he opened fire on the TL.
It was flying in a slow turning motion like a screw as Josh disabled the engine leaving it at a standstill.
Then he opened fire on the rear turret disabling it.

As Josh moved the Exaireo to a safe distance away from the TL the TS and Mamba fighters entered the sector and hailed Josh. “Thanks for your assistance pilot here is your payment we will take it from here.”

They had transferred payment to Josh and were headed for the docking bay to land with to fighters in close formation.

Josh looked on in unbelief did they think they could just dock. As the TS drew near the docking bay they depressurized the bay blowing mines out the blast doors blowing up the TS and two Fighters.

Who ever was in charge on the TL knew what they were doing. A well-planned strike would have had the TS find a good location to take the ship from on the hull and burn in and board.

Josh hailed the Equipment Dock and told them what happened and waited for a reply.