Organized Crime: Chapters 8 and 9.

[Mauser Kar98K]

Chapter 7: Time to get Serious.


Berdan gazed into the station filled sector of Three Worlds, ready to push the comm-button for Brennan. He knew the order would be coming soon, but the tension wasn’t making it shorter.
“Captain, Telaidi transmissions has improved to 10 Sezuras, but they are reporting that their defenses are dwindling. About 5 to 1,” said Vox with a little lag in the report.
Chief looked to Berdan with amazement, “They’re getting slaughtered wholesale!”
Berdan just nodded. By now he was standing and getting impatient. He turned and walked down the ramp were the four-man crew was vigorously working. At the center of the bridge was a command consol with the radar in big picture and touch pad targeting. If the ship had to jump, Berdan would be running back to strap in, but he needed an easier way to gauge everything. And he liked being whisper distance and shoulder comfort to the crew.
“Sir, Vice Admiral Banner on line one,” joked Vox, trying to lighten the mood.
“Not a good idea keeping him on hold Vox, put him thru.
Whats going on Banner, where’s the order!”
Banner appeared on the holographic over the consol, “I don’t know Berdan, Brennan hasn’t given it yet. We have all of our fighters in and we’re going thru jumpgate to jumpgate. Our jumpdrive gave out in Home of Light, so we are going to be a little late. Probably why the order hasn’t been given, sorry Berdan.”
Berdan hung is Cyclopes head with frustration, dancing his right foot in place hoping to release the tension.
“Well, I have all the fighters out with the exception of the Delta Alphas. They will be ship defense if it comes down to it.”
“Very well Captain, see you when I get there. Banner out.”
“Vox, what’s the latest?”
“Boron reporting several pirate vessels are breaking off engagements and heading south.”
Berdan touched on the Revenge’s radar signature. A little menu popped down with options to select. Berdan pressed the direct comm-option and waited for Shern’s voice to come through the speaker.
The sound of the bridge’s door opened with Junior Grade Genus appeared in his blue uniform, decked out with his rank and ribbons. “Reporting for duty sir!”
Berdan was about to give him an order when Shern come through. Berdan held up his finger to Genus to wait, “Shern, you have possible incoming. Pirates are breaking off and heading towards the south, be on your toes.”
“Rodger that Berdan, where is the order?” Asked Shern.
“Don’t know, Berdan Out! Genus give me weapons loud out and missile status and get your butt down here.”
“Aye Sir.” Genus looked at the weapons board that was behind the Captain’s chair. “We have twenty hornets, silkworm and wasp missiles ready for selection. All gun crews are standing by at general quarters.”
“Rodger that Genus, load us with Silkworm. Helmsman distance to target?”
“Twenty-one klicks out sir!”
“Good, stop us at fifteen, turn us North-East and be at the ready.”
“Aye sir!”
Berdan looked down at the command consol again. Both Delta squads and the Novacats were in formation on top and below of the two M2 class ships. Berdan then patched into the ships comm, just as he felt the ship slowing.
“Delta-Alphas, launch as soon you are all at the ready, and be on ship defense.”
“Sir we are stopped and I am moving the ship in to postion.” Said Markus.
“Very well.”
Genus finally stepped by the consol, opposite of Berdan, “What’s going on sir?”
“While you were getting your uniform on slick, the Boron sent a distress message that put Hertz into retirement. 500 pirate ships including two Phoenixes and one carrier have practically invaded Kindom’s End. The Boron are loosing ships 5 to 1, but they managed to ice the M1.”
Genus looked up to Berdan with shock, “Sir, why haven’t we moved in to assist?”
“Haven’t been given the order son. Can’t go without orders.”
“Understood sir.”
Genus looked down at the board and summed up in his mind of the situation in the sector. He was about to comment on the formation when Vox shouted the bad news.
“Sir! Two mandalays just made the jump from the Southgate at the End! ETA is 45 sezuras!”
“Genus start the clock!” Berdan connected to the Eclipse and the rest of the battle group. “Shern, two mandalays just jumped. Be ready to fire! Fighters, hold your ground and fire when the M2s do.”
“Rodger that Berdan, oh and we are getting the same info Captain…”
“I know Commander but I am making sure. Prepare to fire on my mark.”
“At what?” came Shern again.
“Fire at the gate and don’t let up, I don’t want them knowing that we are here.”
Berdan watched the sezuras tick away. It was at fifteen when he looked up at Genus.
“Ready to earn your combat badge today…?”

[Mauser Kar98K]

Chapter 9: Shern's Taste of Blood.

If the Intrepid crew thought they were busy, they hadn’t seen the Revenge. Not only was Shern giving orders to her crew, but to the Eclipse as well. The Rolk’s Revenge is one of the oldest of the Titans in the fleet. It was one of the last few relics of the Xenon War that is still in service and fully operational.
What the Revenge’s crew was doing was power managing. Transferring all power that isn’t being used. Shields, weapons, and engines; the basics for a mass attack that the Boron were experiencing. But Shern had doubts of the “bucket of bolts and plasma.”
Then the one-eyed wonder broke in.
“All Argon ships fire at the center of the gate.”
“You heard the man, all ginner crews fire and don’t let up!”
Brilliant blue lights filled the bridge from the gamma photon pulse cannons. Then little slits of pink, purple and green came into view from the fighters positioned around the two Titans. Shern just stood at the front looking at the spectacular light show. The crew could see her face color change from ambient light of the cannons.
The two Mandalay pilots didn’t have a chance to blink when they were met with the wall of Argon firepower. As soon as they appeared through the jumpgate, their ships exploded with small slashes of yellow flames, and blue plasma discharges. All the radar operator saw was just a blip on the screen.
“Berdan here, Shern! Scan the wreckages quick, report to me on any findings.”
“Rodger that boss. Maggie, give me full read outs on those destroyed Mandalays.”
“Yes ma, am!”
Shern looked up at the energy levels of the turrets. Their power was back to max. So now it was back to the waiting game, probably the worst time in combat for an old fighter pilot.
“Commander Shern, scans are complete. Ah…do the Telaidi usually decommission all their gear before they sell through the back door to the Pirates?”
“Yes, why, what did you find?”
“There seems to be a Telaidi advance come link on board one the the ships. The dish and antennas are a dead give away. And the weaps are brand spaken new, well, were.”
“What what you are telling me is that these a re Telaidi Harriers and not Pirate Mandalays.”
“Yes ma,am.”
“Okay, thanks Maggie. Communications send the info to Berdan.”
“Ma,am he is already hailing us.”
“Go ahead Captain,” said Shern.
“What did you find?”
“Same gizmos from that scout you iced two days ago, but weaponry is new. My ping-head said that they were full blown Harriers.”
Berdan moaned on the other side of the comm, “I don’t like the looks of this…wait!” Silence was brief but long, “The Boron has lost the last M2 in the sector, last report was a hundred plus fighters are moving towards the jump-gate.”
“Oh Shit Berdan!”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch doll. They are just Mandalays and Bayonmons. The fighters and your gunners should handle it.”
“What about ‘their’ M2s? Those Phoenixes have us outgunned three to one!”
“Hopefully by then, Brennan will be here, I am sending the reports now.
If it gets bad Shern I will send the Intrepid in, but till then I will keep you posted and give immediate advice. Good thing the Boron dropped a NAV SAT for us before the went boom!”
“Where are the M2s now?”
“Sationary but looks like the TS’s are now disengaging and heading south as well. They are armed to the teeth!”
Shern took a deep breath then signed off from Berdan, “Patch me into the entire ship comm.”
With the sound of the chime the news that had to be given was issued to the crew.
“Crew of the Rolf’s Revenge. We are in a Defacto state of war with the Telaidi through the alliance of the Boron. There are over a hundred Telaidi fighters moving into this system. They bare the Pirate signature, but take it with a grain of deluxian wheat. The Boron has lost most of its defenses in Kingdom End. We also might see a couple of Phoenixes make the jump to Three Worlds. So be ready for anything! Commander Shern out.”
Shern crossed her arms and looked out the bridge. She wondered if the anxiety of the wait was also killing Berdan as much as it was killing her.
She took a deep breath and cleared her mind with the exhaul. She hoped that the slaughter over in Kingdom’s End was the result of bad training and lack of a warrior soul of the Boron. She and the rest of Three Worlds was about to find out.

[KiwiNZ]

Good read! I am intrigued about agenda of the offenders. Can't really be invading KE, as they now head into Argon space.

Looking forward to the next part!

[Captain Chris sTc]

nice. a small bit of combat to wet our appitite for the impending melee.

[Mauser Kar98K]

Hey yall. just an update.

i am now starting to write chapter 10, had to figure out how I wanted it to begine, but I am working on it. Kinda story boarding in my head for the flying parts.

But it is coming along