Prime Alpha (Planetary Powers Book 1) by Joshua Boring

Author:Joshua Boring [Boring, Joshua]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ShyMask Studios Publishing
Published: 2018-01-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

:Vetrus System:

Haven Alpha exploded from hyperspace and was almost immediately accosted by two sentinels. The sub-frigate sized Stormbolts were little more than a pair of torpedo bays wrapped around an ion engine, with barely enough room for their ten-man crews. The small craft were quick and nimble, and could unload a punishing amount of tactical torps in a short amount of time at decent range. Like a pair of yapping guard dogs running to the end of their chains to bark at a passing war horse, the captains of the sub-frigates locked onto Haven Alpha and demanded code of passage. Once the mobile headquarters identity was safely confirmed as the Kafka Dogma modified peace frigate, Haven Alpha was allowed to enter into the system and proceed along the designated route.

Nathen relaxed his grip on the arms of his chair as the ship decelerated to normal cruising speeds, bypassing most of the system’s larger masses after its first light jump. The trip to the Vetrus System had been uneventful, not that Nathen expected any spies to make their moves while in hyperspace. Nathen took a moment to check his Denchura II in its holster concealed under his jacket uniform. Gordon sat silently in his chair, occasionally listening and responding to reports from his command crew. The mobile headquarters came around on its final heading and Gordon looked up at the pale sphere of the planet in the distance.

“There it is,” the Captain said, looking through the view port. “The Orbit Angel.”

Nathen took in the image of the station silhouetted against the host planet as the viewscreen magnified. The Orbit Angel slowly and steadily rotated about. It wasn't the most glorious or prestigious space station ever designed, not among the central establishments at least. An access walkway circled the whole station, ringing the center like a hoop belt. Its outdated solar panels were fanned out around the station's middle, and when light reflected off it from the Vetrus star, it was blinding. Weak Ion pulses were frequent in the system and the panels helped to absorb the energy rather than deflect it. The pulses played havoc with the sensors but were a valuable energy source, especially given the demands of the improvements made to the system.

“Wow,” Nathen said, arching his eyebrows in genuine surprise. “Chronos wasn't kidding.”

The space between Haven Alpha and the Orbit Angel shimmered for miles as light glinted off the surface of solar panels and ship hulls. In a wider orbit than the space station was a massive, flat scaffold that looked like a huge grid of steelwork and panels. Far longer and wider than the Orbit Angel, the starshield was unmanned, except by computer and remote control. Regular gaps in the scaffold were built in for ships to nestle in and recharge their minor systems from the energy harvested by hundreds of panels around them. The slots nearest the space station were small, but gradually got bigger, as did the ships. The ones furthest from Haven Alpha and nearest to the station were frigate and sub-frigate.

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