Her features tightened “What are our options?”
Aaron looked at his former XO, “Vee?”
“We could coax some more speed too,” he said, checking the readings, “damaging our own engines in the process but it wouldn’t help. Therefore, I’m not sure it’s worth it. The destroyer will intercept us in twenty minutes. We’ll be inside its firing range then. With an emergency breaking maneuver, it’ll be able to slow to combat maneuvering speeds from its current speed.”
Generally, a starship traversed star systems at high sub-light speeds. Depending on the size of the system a ship could take anywhere from two to twenty hours to complete the trip. From such high speeds a ship needed anywhere from fifteen to ninety minutes to decelerate to combat speeds, depending on her specs. This was necessary to stay within the limits and capabilities of inertia compensators. Ships didn’t engage in combat at these high speeds, if you even managed to pass within engagement distance at those speeds, it would be a brief exchange.
In contrast to the capability to accelerate and decelerate to star system hopping speeds in less than an hour, maneuvering at combat speeds was simple. Accelerating or decelerating from ten thousand kilometers a second seemed almost instant when compared to accelerating or decelerating from max sub-light speed.
Unless a pursuing starship was faster than its target, an overwhelmed opponent could always decide to retreat. You didn’t engage in combat in open space to the death when you could flee. Starship combat was not an honorable medieval joust. Combat in space occurred out of necessity. One side was either defending or attacking an objective. In this case, Star Runner needed to dock with Phoenix before the destroyer intercepted.
The XO finished evaluating the sensor readouts. “Even though he’s moving a bit fast, he’s likely to get a good shot off at us. I’m going below to secure Lee, in case of any sudden maneuvers.” He limped out of his seat and down the ladder to the crew deck.
“I don’t suppose our chaff would be of any use,” Rachael asked.
Aaron smirked. “No, they most certainly would not.”
“The destroyer is transmitting on open frequency again,” she said.
“Unknown vessel. You are operating in violation of United Star Systems interstellar law. Your unregistered ship is forfeit and liable to seizure. If you do not cut your engines and await instructions for rendezvous, your safety is not guaranteed. This will be your final warning. There will be no further attempts at communication. You have sixty seconds to power down your engines.”
He looked over at Rachael.
“I don’t think pretending to be pregnant will work this time,” she quickly said.
He snorted. “No, just . . . there’s nothing to be done. We either surrender or we’re dead and apparently, this is our final warning. There’s no way for their weapons to disable a vessel this small. A single missile could destroy us.”
“Surrender isn’t an option. That vessel could likely be compromised by whoever shot at your men on the planet.”
He hadn’t thought of that. “It’s possible but . . . I’m racking my brain here and I’ve got nothing. This isn’t a warship. Our options aren’t limited—they’re nonexistent.”
“Then it was nice to make your acquaintance, Aaron.”
“Was it?”
She nodded. “It was interesting at the very least.”
“I’ll take that. And for what it’s worth, I’m sure we would have worked well together.”
“I thought we already were,” she said, a hint of genuine surprise in her voice.
He snickered. “Well . . . you are a little . . . rigid.”
“Rigid?”
He shrugged. “Like stiff.”
“I know what rigid means!”
“Okay, that there,” he said. “See what I mean?”
She glared at him, and then she laughed until tears streaked down her cheeks.
When she composed herself, she said. “I now see how Vee felt. That certainly felt good.”
“Well, I’m glad something tickled you too. It should be my turn to get tickled next.”
“Perhaps,” she said. “However, as you’re all out of tricks. I have one left up my sleeve.”
“That’s my little spy!”
“Don’t push it, Aaron.”
He pressed his lips together in thin line.
“I’m sending a signal to XN—sorry—Phoenix,” she said.
“There’s someone aboard?” Why hadn’t she mentioned that?
She gave him a curious look. “Of course, you think it flew itself out here?”
“Well, anything’s possible where you people are concerned. How do I know you didn’t design some sentient AI to go along with your secret ship and the damn thing can’t fly itself?”
“Point taken. But no. I think you’ll be surprised.”
“Why didn’t you signal it before?” Aaron asked.
“As you know that would give away its position and confirm its location to the Destroyer. And you claimed we would reach the coordinates before the destroyer intercepted us, do you recall?”
“Still it was a critical thing to know.”
“Not until now,” she said.
“You’re going to have to reconsider some of your spying rule set for the remainder of this mission.”
She shrugged. “Spies are flexible. Sending your pre-recorded message now.”
“My pre—”
A familiar voice boomed over the speakers.
“Commander! Is that really you out there? We figured it had to be, it fit the profile but damn, sir, it’s great to hear your voice!”
It was Yuri “Flaps” Miroslav—the little hotshot pilot was aboard the waiting ship.
“Flaps! Who else is there with you?”
“The—”
Rachael cut him off. “Silence, young man. This is an open frequency, encrypted or not the signal may be picked to pieces later. I’m sending recognition codes now. The destroyer on your scans will intercept us prior to matching course and speed with you. You will engage engines, come to full power and get to us before them.”
Well, look who’s giving orders.
She continued. “If you can disable the destroyer, do so, I am reliably informed one shot could finish us.”
The minutes felt like hours and then Alvarez returned to the flight deck.
“Lee’s good. Strapped him down tight. He won’t budge,” he said.
Aaron nodded and cleared his throat. “Ensign, listen carefully. This is what we’re going to do.” He outlined the plan to the hotshot pilot.
The destroyer and Phoenix were now at the end of their deceleration cycle from the hard burns to intercept Star Runner. Aaron focused on the countdown. There could be no mistakes. “Now Ensign! Kill engines, full thrusters, bring her bow around.”
Phoenix’s main engine power scaled back and maneuvering thrusters forced the bow of the ship around one hundred and eighty degrees, now cruising on momentum—her stern was oriented towards the bow of Star Runner.
An alarm blared and Vee silenced it as he called out. “Missiles in the black. Vectoring in from the destroyer!”
Aaron gritted his teeth. “Ensign!”
“I got this, Commander, stand by!” the young helmsman replied.
Rachael’s face went several shades whiter. “Stand by?”
A point defense barrage erupted from Phoenix intercepting the destroyer’s missiles along their vector to Star Runner. Each missile exploded harmlessly as it tried to breach that stream of protective fire.