Counterstrike by Joshua Dalzelle

Author:Joshua Dalzelle [Dalzelle, Joshua]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“It was a hell of a thing to see.” Celesta leaned back in her seat. She was in her office aboard the Icarus and Jackson could just make out the picture in the background over the video channel. It was of the two of them along with Davis, Singh, and Pike standing in front of the Ares’ main entry hatch just before the ship was christened and launched.

“We didn’t get to enjoy the show,” Jackson said sourly. “We’ve taken a serious beating. When the main exploded it opened up the hull along the aft quadrant in a dozen places. So you actually have optical sensor data of the incident to go with the radar and accelerometer records?”

“We do,” she nodded. “I’d ordered the sensors trained on the spot in space we knew the Alpha was, and we were able to just make it out on the thermal optics at the time of the incident. When the gravity bomb went off it jerked, spun around twice, and then just floundered around a bit before our missiles impacted.”

“Amazing,” Jackson shook his head. “The bomb must have modulated its output for a sustained effect. One big ripple to slow it down and then just enough disruption of local space to make sure its drive was effectively nullified.”

“I suppose we’re lucky the Phage don’t have any sort of backup propulsion that isn’t based on gravity manipulation,” Celesta yawned. “Were there any casualties on the Ares?”

“Six dead, over twenty injured,” Jackson said quietly. “Not to mention the loss of the Artemis.”

“Yes,” she said sadly. “This operation had better pay off considering the price we’ve paid for it so far.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Captain,” Jackson said. “I’m ordering the Hyperion back to the planet to recover the Atlas or at least confirm her condition. The probe hasn’t been able to send back anything conclusive on the condition of the crew. We’re limping back to you now; it took a while to come to a full stop and then accelerate back the way we came on one main engine.”

“Will you be able to achieve transition velocity?” Celesta asked.

“Singh says yes,” Jackson shrugged. “I’ll worry about that when the time comes. For now, maintain your position and we’ll hopefully hear from the Vruahn cube soon about what the next step is. Obviously we can’t take the thing back to Terran space intact.”

“Understood, sir,” she said. “Icarus out.”

Jackson terminated his own connection and leaned back. Despite the horrors around him like losing an entire ship under his command and the deaths aboard his own vessel, he couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how much Celesta Wright had matured as a commanding officer. She’d grown much from the unsure executive officer who had boarded the Blue Jacket to someone he now considered one of the most solid, dependable captains in the Fleet. He expected big things for her … assuming their next campaign was a success and that they actually survived it.

He hauled himself out of his seat with a groan, wincing as his leg straightened out.

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