Crimson Worlds: Prequel - Bitter Glory by Jay Allan

Author:Jay Allan [Allan, Jay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: System 7 Publishing
Published: 2013-07-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Control Center

AS Wasp

Wolf 424 System

“Oh my God. There she is.” Garret was speaking quietly to himself. He stared into his display, mesmerized. He was feeling a mix of sensations…excitement, tension, fear. They’d just transited into the Wolf 424 system, and they were running silent again. He was still elated from taking out the two transports. Until the first scanning report in Wolf 424 came in.

The initial data confirmed it was big, more massive even than the large supply ships. At first Garret thought it might be another, even larger, freighter. Then it fired a laser blast no transport could have managed. Wasp was still far out, and the scanning data was rough. It took the AIs longer to identify the contact, but now they’d confirmed it. A Shang-class capital ship.

Garret swallowed hard. This was no unarmed freighter…it was a battleship with twenty times the tonnage of Wasp and bristling with weaponry. And it was chasing something, a much smaller vessel.

“Ensign Randall, get me a laser com link to Captain Compton.” Garret was staring at his screen, waiting for an ID on the second ship.

“Yes, sir.” Randall was silent for a moment. It took a little time to set up the direct laser link. Finally, he turned and looked over at Garret. “I have Captain Compton on your line, sir.”

“Terrance, are you picking up what we are?”

“I think so.” Compton’s voice sounded tense, distracted. “What the hell is a CAC battleship doing here all alone?” A short pause. “And who are they pursuing?”

“No idea. I’ve been trying to figure who might be…” Garret stopped abruptly. Ensign Randall interjected, something he’d only do if he had critical information.

“Sir, we’re getting a distress signal from the smaller ship. Alliance protocols.” Randall was edgy. He didn’t like interrupting Garret’s communication, but he knew the captain needed to know.

Garret’s head snapped around. “Any ship ID?”

“Working on it, sir.” Randall was focused on his workstation. “The signal is really broken up.”

“Did you get that, Terry?” Garret was looking over at Randall as he spoke, as if staring at the back of the ensign’s head would make him work faster.

“Yes. We’re picking it up too.” Compton sighed. “No ID yet here.”

“Captain, it’s the Burke.” Randall looked up from his display and met Garret’s gaze. “It’s a research vessel. We don’t have any information on its mission or manifest yet.”

“Very well, ensign. Let’s…” Garret hesitated, thinking. Burke? Why was that familiar? He couldn’t place it, but he knew the name.

“Sir?” Randall was looking intently.

Garret waved the ensign off. Why, he thought…why do I know that name? Then it hit him. Charlotte. He hadn’t heard from her for a couple years, but the last letter she sent had mentioned her new posting. It was a research ship, and he was pretty sure it was the Burke.

“Captain?” It was Randall. His voice was halting, tentative. Garret had just silenced him, but he knew the captain would want to hear what he had to say. “Sir, we’re getting more info from the Burke.

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