The Pirate King by Huw Powell

Author:Huw Powell
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781681193113
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-11-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Libertina

Jake accelerated after the scout ship, which was surprisingly fast, but the Divine Wind was faster. The star frigate soon caught up with the tiny sphere, as it made for a nearby asteroid field.

Jake activated the intercom. ‘Cal, Capio, we need to take out that Gork scout.’

‘Understood,’ said Callidus.

The sound of laser cannon fire filled the speakers and a stream of laser bolts burst from the gun deck. Most of the shots hit surrounding asteroids, which exploded into clouds of dust. Kay squealed with delight at the power of her new weapons.

‘Nanoo, you’re spoiling me,’ she chirped merrily.

‘We’re running out of time, Cal,’ warned Jake, as they drew closer to the asteroid field.

‘It’s no good,’ said the fortune seeker. ‘That ship is too small to catch in our gunsights.’

‘OK, then we’ll have to ram it.’

Jake ignored the increasing number of rocks around them and focused on the scout ship. As he closed in, he could make out the fin-headed Gork pilot curled up inside it.

CRASH!

‘Watch it,’ yelled Kay, as a small asteroid bounced off the hull.

The scout ship changed course, veering sharply away from the asteroid field.

‘Blast! I almost had it,’ said Jake, turning the Divine Wind to follow.

CRASH!

The Divine Wind hit another asteroid.

‘Jake …’

‘I know, I know. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s not that,’ said Kay. ‘We’re near the meeting point at Libertina.’

Jake’s heart skipped a beat. It was the moment that he had been waiting for; the moment when he would find out if his message had worked; the moment of truth.

‘Are there any ships waiting?’ he asked eagerly.

‘Aye, three warships.’

‘Three?’ Jake groaned with disappointment. ‘Is that all?’

Kay nodded. ‘And the scout ship is heading straight for them.’

Jake watched the small sphere curve around the large green planet to where the warships were waiting on the other side. ‘At least it’s trapped.’

But as the Divine Wind chased the scout ship around Libertina, Kay frowned suspiciously at the scanner.

‘I don’t like this,’ she said. ‘We should wait for the rest of the fleet.’

‘There’s no time …’

It was too late. Jake spotted three large vessels orbiting the planet, but they had not been sent by the independent colonies.

Kay looked up and hissed like an angry cat. ‘Gork warships.’

Jake stared in alarm at the bloated midnight blue hulls and open gun ports of the three Gork warships as they skimmed the atmosphere of Libertina. ‘That’s not good.’

‘Where are the independent colony ships?’ asked Kay in disbelief. ‘I can’t believe that no one turned up.’

‘Never mind that now,’ said Jake, tugging the controls. ‘We’ve got to get out of here.’

There was no way that the star frigate could take on three warships single-handed. The Divine Wind twisted away from the planet as the Gorks opened fire. A shot caught its underside, but the laser failed to penetrate the reinforced shields.

‘That Nanoo is a genius,’ marvelled Kay.

Jake squeezed the thrusters, and the Divine Wind accelerated away from Libertina, while Callidus and Capio returned fire. ‘We have to get back to the fleet.’

‘Agreed, but you’re going the wrong way,’ said Kay, poking the scanner with her finger.

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