“Neither do I,” Bill replied. “But there’s got to be something we can do…”
He looked at the sensor data, then pulled up the solar system map, plugging the information into a navigational program.
“Hmmm…”
“The thing is, we can either engage the main fleet or the approaching boarders,” Weaver said, bringing up the scenarios. “Both are going to cross the beam going to the xenon gas giant. If we engage the main fleet, we’re probably only going to get part of it; most of it is going to be off the elliptic. Ditto the boarders. But we can at least cut either one down.”
“We’re playing for time,” Captain Zanella said. “I recommend taking out the approaching boarders. Of course, that means some of my Marines might actually survive.”
“There would be a time window when we could all survive,” Bill said. “If we get most of the boarding group and the Blade gets here before the main fleet… Okay, that’s what we’ll do. Time to get the band together.”
“This is flipping nuts, sir, you know that,” Carpenter said, tapping his drum set.
“Yep,” Bill said, looking at the laptop propped in front of him. It had the estimated approach vector of the boarding task force on it and a projection of the beam that would fluoresce the xenon gas giant. The trick was going to be to get the beam to intersect the task force, before it realized it was in trouble. “But that’s what we’re gonna do.”
“ ‘Warriors of the World’?” Carpenter asked.
“ ‘Winterborn’?” Miriam suggested.
“My calculations, based on spectral data from the fluorescing planets, is that the optimum tonality is soprano vocals in the key of C,” Bill said. “Damnit.”
“And that would be…” Miriam said, grinning.
Change in emission from artifact. Change in shape of artifact. Change in solar output.
Send warning to boarding force, prepare for attack.
“I can see when you stay low nothing happens does it feel right?” Miriam sang, soft and slow to a quiet piano and muted drums.
Long enough for the system to warm up. Long enough for the shield to stretch out, covering the star and absorbing its full energy. Then the power increased…
Bill looked at the readouts then over his shoulder.
“Two… three… four!”
“STAND MY GROUND, I WON’T GIVE IN!”
she sang, putting every ounce of vocal energy she could into the powerful chorus as guitar screamed and drums thundered.
“NO MORE DENYING, I GOT TO FACE IT.
WON’T CLOSE MY EYES AND HIDE THE TRUTH INSIDE.
IF I DON’T MAKE IT, SOMEONE ELSE WILL…
stand my ground…”
The window had opened up as usual but something else was happening. All of the ships in the system were now highlighted and as the beam shot out from the powerful system, one by one outlines of the oncoming fast-movers blinked and blazed, then vanished. The defenders were watching the effect of the station on the ships even as Miriam shifted back to verse:
“We got four of the destroyers, one of the possible troop-carriers and a piece of one of the other destroyers,” Bill said jubilantly. “And all through the power of music!”
“If anybody says anything about Muadib, I’m going to strangle them,” Miriam said.
“What?”
“Sorry, obscure sci-fi reference.”
“Okay, sir,” Captain Zanella said. “I appreciate you making my job a little easier. But I’ve got a question.”
“Go.”
“What are you going to do for an encore?”
“Oh,” Bill groaned. “Captain, put yourself up for punishment.”
“That was just weak, sir. You shouldn’t try to get into a pun fight a cappella.”
“Speaking of weak! At least I’m in harmony with the group.”
“I think you’re sounding a discordant note, sir.”
“Stop! Stop!” Miriam screamed. “You’re making me want to pitch you both off the station… Oh my God. Now I’m doing it…”
‹Power beams used to cause excitation of gasses in the gas-giants. Task Group encountered one of the beams, either through probability error or intent, causality unclear at this time. Purpose of excitation phenomenon not understood. Unknown species probable cause of structural change and excitation phenomenon. Sentient 475-829-467-821 destroyed. Orders?›
Order fleet to maneuver out of elliptic to avoid beam. Order non-sentients to assault station and destroy enemy infestation. Sonic anomaly analysis?
‹Gravitational waves induced sonic response in hulls of ships. Reason unknown.›
Danger?
‹Nominal. Gravitational level too low to effect damage.›
“Everything has a harmonic,” Bill said, gesturing at the station. “Even this thing does. If you get just the right harmonic, you can shake it apart.”
“And this means what?” Carpenter asked, tapping his cymbal.
“So do ships,” Bill said, gesturing at the opaque wall of the cavern. “One of Che-chee’s pilots reported that he heard sounds when they were in space. I don’t see this thing being only for the people inside. The best view is going to be from in space. But you’re going to want to hear the concert. Space doesn’t propagate sound.”
“The gravitational beams you were talking about,” Miriam said. “You think we can use those to shake the ships apart?”
“It’s worth a try,” Bill said. “And, at the very least, I don’t think they probably have our taste in music. Maybe if we annoy them enough they’ll go away.”
“ ‘Those damned kids…’ ”
“Exactly. It worked on a neighbor when I was in high school…”
“Captain Weaver has something he thinks may take out some of the other ships,” Captain Zanella said. “But that’s not our problem for now.”
“Our problem is an unknown quantity of Dreen that are about to board this station,” Lieutenant Ross said.
“Exactly,” Zanella continued with a chuckle. “But with the captain taking out some of their ships, I figure we’ve got a fighting chance. They’re maneuvering to dock at the moment. Last minute suggestions are accepted.”