The Helwinter Gate by Chris Wraight

Author:Chris Wraight
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-07-06T09:13:01+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

‘Get a lock on the system runner!’ Jorundur bellowed, hammering out a series of secondary commands on his console. ‘The moment you see it, send a protective spread to nadir. And someone, anyone, get me a fix on the whelp’s position.’

The Amethyst Suzeraine was moving, ponderously, uncertainly, shifting for position among the crowded orbital ballet. The Ecclesiarchy ships were still in close proximity, though they were taking a dreadful battering by then, and the formation had started to fracture. The gigantic Immaculate Destiny, its work done, was beginning to come round, its prow and underside flashing from las-hits, its mighty plasma drives keying up for ignition.

He still had no precise lock on Hafloí. The Hlaupnir, for all he knew, had been destroyed in the orbital energy beam – everything coming out of Ojada was now a howl of empty static, and even the realviewers were blurred and shaky. The Archenemy ships, sensing blood, were flocking in now, targeting anything still headstrong or foolish enough to remain in orbit. The galleon had to get out, and get out soon, or nothing but wreckage would mark its brief presence here.

‘Hlaupnir sighted!’ Bjargborn announced triumphantly, flagging up the approach vector. ‘Keying in intercept course now.’

‘Very good,’ growled Jorundur, trying not to betray too much relief. ‘Maintain free firing, all flanks – it’ll get hotter before we’re clear.’

So it did. The Ecclesiarchy squadron was leaving now, pulling up and away, its escorts tilting over to gain an angle before boosting hard. Even as they completed their manoeuvre, one of the smaller destroyers was caught in heavy crossfire, its shields overloaded. Spears of las-fire slid under its hull-plates, buckling them and disabling the engines. It started to list back towards the gravity well, crippled and failing.

‘Keep us moving,’ Jorundur ordered, watching as half a dozen Archenemy vessels started to slide into strike range. It was hard to keep up with them all – every scope was crammed. ‘As soon as we get them, full burn out of here.’

Heavy hits started to come in – coordinated strikes that made the void-array shriek and threatened to pierce through to the hull. Jorundur kept things in motion, dropping down steadily before rolling away aft. The seconds counted down, each one grinding by turgidly, too slowly, agonisingly. At any moment, he expected to hear the crack and squeal of something major breaking.

And then he saw it – trailing fire, hurtling up out of the atmosphere, its sleek lines scorched black but its drives still firing.

‘Bring it in!’ he cried.

‘Lord, we are close to the–’

‘I know damn well where we are – bring it in.’

For the second time, the Amethyst Suzeraine dropped dangerously near to the roof of the world’s atmosphere, this time with its retro thrusters blazing furiously. A brace of enemy fighters, launched from a nearby gun-carrier, swooped down after it, but that couldn’t be helped. Jorundur kept his eyes locked on the augurs, trying to gauge the absolute last moment to effect the transfer. At the

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.