Sertian Princess by Peter Kenson

Author:Peter Kenson [Kenson, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Galactic Empire, Military, Space Fleet, Space Opera
Amazon: B00LEU4IY4
Published: 2014-06-29T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Suzanne arrived on the bridge of the Cleopatra at a run.

"Captain, it's started. There's trouble on the Aldebaran."

"Are you sure?" "How do you know?" came from Mikael and Anton simultaneously.

“I was in contact with Lord David when gunmen broke into his cabin and started firing. He broke the contact and I haven't been able to reach him since."

"Make a signal to the Salamander," Mikael ordered. "Advise them of the trouble on the Aldebaran and ask for instructions.

"Frank, I want a complete scan of this region of space."

"We've been scanning continuously, sir. There's only two ships on the scanners: the Salamander and the Aldebaran."

"Then put out some probes to extend the range, Frank."

"Yes sir, I can do that. But we don't have enough probes to extend the range in all directions."

"Then concentrate on the region between the Aldebaran and the system of Parm, as far out as you can go."

"Aye aye, sir."

One of the comms technicians swivelled round at his console. "Captain, Salamander acknowledges our signal and requests that we stand by."

"Stand by," Mikael snorted exasperatedly. "It's starting. I can feel it. And they tell us to 'Stand by'.

"Frank, bring the ship to Action Stations. Let's at least be ready, when they do slip the leash on us."

Above the clamour of the alarm bells and the noise of the crew arriving to take up their action stations, Mikael could hear the preparations for extending the scan.

"Probe 1, ready for launch. Launched. Probe 2, ready for launch. Launched."

"Ship cleared for action, sir," Frank reported. "2 minutes 43 seconds, sir."

"Thank you, Frank. Carry on."

"Message from Salamander, sir," the duty officer reported. "They want to know why we are launching probes."

"Reply 'Intuition'," Mikael ordered.

Frank was there when he turned round. "We have two contacts on the probe scanners, sir. Extreme range, but they're on an intercept course with the Aldebaran. We can't make out their type yet, but we're putting the signals through analysis now. That was very well done, sir, ordering out the probes when you did."

"Thank you, Frank. Feed the signals through to the tank and relay them to the Salamander, please."

This time the response from the Salamander was more positive. "Follow me. Move to intercept incoming craft."

This was followed almost immediately by a second signal. "Information from Lord David: Opposition have seized Princess.... will probably attempt escape using Aldebaran's lifeboat."

As the two ships piled on the power and sped in formation towards the unidentified ships, the Analysis Computers were fed with more and better data about the targets. Three main types of data were sought: the mass displacement of the craft, the pattern of heat emission from the hull, and the pattern of emissions across the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum. By combining these signals, a unique signature of the spacecraft could be obtained. The databanks of both the Salamander and the Cleopatra, contained the group signatures of every known class of spaceship, so that classifying the new ships was quite straightforward.

"One of the ships is a naval craft, sir. Frigate type.

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