Symbiote Wars by J.N. Chaney & Chris Kennedy

Author:J.N. Chaney & Chris Kennedy [Chaney, J.N. & Kennedy, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2024-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

18

*So, how would you like to die?* Suzie asked.

James Sutton snapped awake. They’d been in the Shirgan system for over two hours, just coasting along, and he’d begun to get bored. The adrenaline from jumping into the system had run out of his veins a while ago, leaving him wanting… Well, if he was honest with himself, he wasn’t really sure what he wanted. If this really was the home of a Cowlee presence, “action” was probably a poor choice, since every ship in the system was probably larger and better equipped than they were. And if not action, then what? Some idea of what was going on, probably, but word of their imminent demise wasn’t what he’d been looking for.

Sutton looked at Johnson, eyes wide, and the older man chuckled. “If I actually had a choice, I’d rather not die at all,” Johnson said after a moment. “I take it there are lots of Cowlees here?”

*Everything is pretty much the way Kita explained it. I see a big station in orbit, which I expect is the fleet base. There are also several smaller orbital defensive stations. I’m getting electronic hits from the moons, too.*

“Electronic hits?” Sutton asked. “What are those?”

*Mostly radar emissions. I’ve also had a few hits of communications, although most of their comms seems to be largely conducted via laser links, which we wouldn’t be able to intercept unless we were in line with them.*

“That’s all great,” Johnson said, “but it’s no different than we expected and shouldn’t result in our immediate deaths.”

*No, it shouldn’t,* Suzie replied primly. *I was, however, interrupted while I was giving my report.*

Johnson motioned with a hand. “Well, then. By all means, please continue.”

*Based on the identification files that Kita gave me, there are two battlecruisers at the fleet base, as well as several cruisers and smaller vessels.*

“What about ships that are underway?” Johnson asked. “If the only ones you’ve seen are docked, they’re probably not going to kill us.” He shrugged. “Not today, anyway.”

*Oh, you mean like the fleet that is coming toward us?*

“That would be good to know information, sure.”

*Then stop interrupting me, and I’ll tell you.*

Johnson didn’t say anything; he just motioned for the ES to continue again.

*There is a third battlecruiser and two more cruisers headed in our direction.*

Johnson continued to be silent.

After a few more moments, Suzie said *Okay. You can ask questions now.*

“Do you think they saw us?”

*No. They are on a direct-line transit from the fleet base to the bridge point and are far enough along that they had to have left before our arrival. I don’t know why they’re doing it, but they are headed for the bridge.*

“Do you suppose they’re going to look for Earth?” Sutton asked. “We have to stop them!”

Johnson made a patting motion. “Easy. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that we don’t want to go toe to toe with them. Even the cruisers—which are a lot smaller than the battlecruisers—are going to be huge compared to us. Any one of them could wipe us out if they wanted to.

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.