BREAKTHROUGH
The Esyia careened around several Baruk ships firing its dispersion cannon at the targets. With the weapon able to adjust to varying shield frequencies the damage was now mounting. Still, the flagship of the Baruk remained distant to the battle. Ranul watched it from his science station.
He had noticed the vessel remaining away from the fight while the other Baruk warships made great effort to intercept any Vorn cruisers trying to get near it for an attack. Ranul conducted multiple scans on the vessel, but one piece of information continued to puzzle to him.
A very unusual waveform was emanating steadily from within the ship somewhere. It was more biological than mechanical and seemed to envelope not only the Baruk ships, but also the surface of the planet near the Twelve Cities.
The Esyia shuddered as laser fire blazed across its shields again. The few remaining Vorn ships were holding their own now against the Baruk. A number of enemy vessels had already been destroyed with multiple direct hits from the dispersion cannons, but they were still outnumbered three to one.
Ranul shifted as the ship quaked then continued on with his observations.
“What are you doing? I haven’t heard anything out of you recently,” said Estall.
“Why, did you need something?” he asked without looking away from his data screen.
“Helmsman, head for that group on another attack run,” he said as he climbed from his own chair to join Ranul at his science station.
Few things could have caught Ranul’s attention during a full-on space battle with their lives at risk, and Estall wanted to know what it was.
“What is it?” Estall asked as he braced himself against the bulkhead next to Ranul.
“I’m not exactly sure, but I think I might be picking up some sort of coordinating waveform used by the Baruk.”
“What?”
“It’s a signal, biological I think, and it’s coming from that Baruk flagship. I can’t decode it. It seems to be focused on the movements of the Baruk only. It could be telepathic in origin.”
“Telepathic? Do you mean something onboard is controlling the Baruk forces?”
“Well, I can’t be sure,” said Ranul, “but it would make since, at least with the data I have. If we destroy that control source we might be able to disorient the Baruk long enough to win this battle.”
“Transmit what you’ve got to Control on the surface. Let them know we’re going after the flag ship with everything we’ve got,” Estall said. “Helmsman, plot a new course for the flagship of the Baruk. Notify our remaining ships to concentrate all firepower on that vessel.”
“The information is being transmitted to the remaining ships, sir!”
The Esyia came around, setting her course for the Baruk flagship. The dispersion cannon rotated as the gunner set up the targeting information.
“Fire dispersion cannon at selected targets,” Estall commanded.
The first volley of cannon fire struck the shields of the flagship. The cannon compensated for the appropriate shield frequency within milliseconds and the blast penetrated, striking the ship. A large portion of the hull on the port side was vaporized. Within moments a heavy firefight issued forth upon the Esyia from other Baruk ships coming to the aid of their flagship.
“Where are those other ships?” shouted Estall.
“Sir, they’re being engaged too heavily to aid us at the moment. The Baruk ships are attempting to ram us now!”
“Estall!” Ranul called from his station. “The signal I’ve been monitoring…it just increased its intensity tenfold in the direction of the Baruk ships.”
“Then it is some sort of telepathy?”
“Almost certainly,” Ranul said. “Whatever is aboard that ship wants to be protected even if it means using the other Baruk ships as battering rams to stop us.”
“Sir, more Baruk ships are coming at us on a collision course!”
“Evasive maneuvers!” shouted Estall. “Fire!”
“We’ve got to destroy that signal source,” Ranul said.
“I know, but we can’t do it if we’re dead,” said Estall. “Helmsman, keep us elusive. Look for any way to get near the flagship again.”
“They’re forming a perimeter to protect it,” Ranul reported.
“Tell the other ships to keep trying to break through. I just hope they can hold out on the surface until we can break through out here.”
Tiet watched as his troops moved throughout the suburban area of the city of Thalidi, outside of the shield wall. The shield was operational with the old thick alloy-plated wall standing behind it. Yet he wasn’t optimistic that even those things could hold the city.
The soldiers moved quickly and quietly in and around buildings as they set up positions from which to ambush the Baruk. They were well-armed and well-trained despite the limited time the new army had been in operation. As he watched them deploy, Tiet wondered how many would be going home after this was all over, even wondering if he would.
He pulled his long range lens to his eye and peered out toward the valley of Usai. He could see the Baruk forces approaching already. The range was two miles. Their projected speed would put them in contact within twenty minutes. The image was obscured by an increasingly large cloud of dust being churned up from the valley floor by their army, making it difficult to get much detail on exactly what they were going to be up against.
Tiet spoke into his communication mouthpiece. “Fire the cannons at will.”
Above him, from positions on the defense wall, large pulse cannons began to rain down a firestorm upon the approaching Baruk. He looked at them through his ocular again. Multiple explosions erupted, but it was difficult to tell if they were doing any damage, or to what extent. Tiet moved with those near him to their ambush positions, set their pulse rifles and prepared to wait for the Baruk.
Kale watched his brother from behind a nearby wall. He had made it this far with Wynn’s help. Now he just had to keep Tiet alive. It was hard to believe that Wynn had helped him to escape. He must really care about my little brother, he thought. Kale was determined now to give his life for his brother if necessary. He would never betray him again.
Wynn had apparently thought this out and had provided a uniform, allowing Kale to blend in with the other soldiers. He activated his own ocular lens and watched the approaching Baruk. Flipping through several different image perspectives, he noted something odd. The main group was apparently approaching under some sort of large shield that went before them like a barricade. It appeared to be automated and put off an easily recognizable power signature. But something else was showing up ahead of their formation.
Kale tapped his wrist pad for an analysis of the odd life signature which appeared as multiple trails heading in their direction.
Insufficient data, the computer replied.
With the naked eye he could see nothing. No dust trail, no visible anything. The trails continued on at a steady pace along the ground as the Baruk closed on the outskirts of the village. The land sloped upward toward the perimeter defense wall behind him.
Kale noticed the soldiers getting ready to fire and Tiet’s voice came over his headset. “Lock on your targets. Fire on my command.”
The large shield dissipated as the Baruk came into closer quarters in the village before the wall. The pulse lasers on the wall also ceased, as the Baruk were now too close. There was a town square with a fountain and an open area that lay between Tiet’s ambush and the Baruk. Tiet had given an order to wait for the enemy to reach it before firing. Kale could see the forces that opposed them more clearly now. They were very fierce looking.
It was mostly infantry, but they had large carrier vehicles for the troops as well and turrets mounted to the tops along with various other arms. A number of large beasts mingled among them as well. These all looked like the kind of mutated ravenous brutes that the Baruk were known for using in close combat. The Baruk fanned out through the streets below, rapidly making their way toward the defense wall.