Amantus
Copyright© 2026 by QM
Chapter 9
The Lignet left the Mandil system because weapon calibration was strictly forbidden in any occupied system, as fragmented shrapnel could pose a hazard to shipping and outposts. Other than the Captain and Sub-Commander Dant, the bridge was composed of junior officers, all in a sense, training to gain experience.
“Surely they are shielded?” Amantus asked Dant.
“They are, but not as well as military equipment,” Dant replied. “The risk is minimal, but it is still a risk, hence we don’t fire at meteorites in occupied systems.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
“This is the primary weapons board,” Dant continued. “It controls the main hyperbeam arrays mounted front and rear of the Lignet.”
“Eight of them in total,” Amantus nodded.
“Yes, energy is aimed through a primary crystalline conduit and focused by gravity manipulation at a target,” Dant replied, simplifying a complex process. “So, a well-aimed beam is narrower at the target than when it leaves the Lignet.”
“I suspect aiming is quite complex, then?”
“It is, though the display simplifies it, as what you tend to be aiming at is only a tiny dot to the naked eye.”
“So, the computers control the aim function?”
“Yes, they also tell you when the surge capacitors for energy release are fully charged,” Dant replied. “That’s why we tend to fire the weapons one at a time.”
“I take it, it’s possible to miss?”
“Hellishly easy,” Dant chuckled. “Or hit a moving target with an unfocused beam from a miscalculation.”
“Is that why we randomly ‘jink’?”
“Yes, though the official term is randomly manoeuvre,” Dant smiled. “We don’t tend to feel it in here, but the move can be extreme as seen outside of the ship.”
“Again, the computers compensate for it?”
“In theory, the target is usually jinking as well.”
“So is it luck?” Amantus frowned.
“There’s a degree of luck to it, but the more experienced operators will get a statistically higher percentage of hits than an unskilled operator by choosing when to fire,” Dant replied. “For this test, though, we’re going to be shooting stationary rocks whilst engineering calibrates the conduit rods.”
The Lignet transitioned into the deserted system of Flamvir. Mance ordered a full active scan before ordering a pulsed grav drift towards the nearest set of asteroids.
“Does the Captain always order that in an empty system?” Amantus asked Dant.
“No, but in this case, you never know who or what is lurking here,” Dant replied. “The maps all show nice borders, etc. But, borders mean nothing in XD space, particularly if you’re not meant to be there.”
“Yes,” Amantus nodded. “I see.”
“Trust me,” Dant chuckled. “It’s one of the reasons we’re still alive.”
“Even when you can emerge at any point outside the grav zone?” Amantus asked.
“Unfortunately, ships can easily be detected in XD space, a process called predictive wave analysis,” Dant explained. “A hostile ship will know that and will, if possible, set a course towards us before we emerge and go under emcon, which is why we go active in empty systems and then put on a random 10G burst to analyse the scan.”
“Do all Protectorate ships do that?”
“It’s not an approved manoeuvre, but smart Captains always do it.”
“I’ll remember that.”
“OK, we’re approaching the asteroid cluster, activate weapons.”
“Forward primaries activated, targeting systems transferred from detection, ma’am,” Amantus replied.
“Engineering reports surge capacitors fully charged,” Sub-Lieutenant Falle informed them from comms.
“Align beam one,” Dant ordered. “It’s a target-rich environment.”
Amantus used a floating pad to aim a crosshair at a large asteroid, then pressed a button to lock it in place.
“Target locked,” he confirmed.
“Wait till you get a green,” Dant indicated the display. “Then hit the fire button before aligning on another target.”
This Amantus did, getting a confirmation from Sub-Lieutenant Ranha on detection. “New target locked in,” he confirmed.
“Fire when ready.”
“Hit,” Ranha confirmed.
“Engineering requests permission to lock down primary one to adjust the calibration matrix,” Falle reported.
“Granted,” Dant replied. “Select target for primary three,” to Amantus.
“Locked in,” Amantus confirmed.
“Fire when ready, then select a new target,” Dant ordered.
“Hit,” Ranha confirmed.
“New target locked,” Amantus added.
“Last shot, make it count,” Dant replied.
“Hit,” Ranha confirmed. “Four out of four.”
“Well done, Amantus,” Dant smiled. “Though it’s a lot more difficult when your targets are manoeuvring and firing back.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How are engineering doing?” Dant asked Falle.
“They are going over the output readings and calculating various outputs ... according to them,” Falle replied.
“Er, Dant?” Amantus asked. “Why do we have an engineering station on the bridge when you talk to them via comms?”
“Ah, that’s because it’s more to do with reporting damage and assigning damage control teams,” Dant replied. “Not maintenance.”
“Oh, right,” Amantus smiled. “It only just occurred to me to ask.”
“No problem, I was a Lieutenant before I thought to ask,” Dant chuckled. “It’s usually only occupied by an engineer during departure and combat.”
“So I won’t be stationed there?”
“No.”
“Engineering requests you try another four strikes,” Falle informed Dant.
“OK. Amantus, pick four,” Dant ordered. “Sub-Lieutenant Corus, weave us about as if we’re evading incoming fire.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Corus, the pilot, replied.
Amantus found himself tested as the Lignet weaved and jinked in three dimensions as Corus put the ship through a torturous evasion routine. When he thought he had a target fixed, the Lignet would change direction. Deciding that anticipation was his best bet, Amantus focused on an object at the edge of the screen, finally getting the focus lock he needed before firing a primary.
“Hit,” Ranha announced, though Amantus barely heard him as he sought out the next target.
Now knowing what to look for, Amantus fired again, hitting a second, followed by a third and fourth asteroid.
“Well done, Amantus,” Dant said with satisfaction to a now sweating young man.
“That was not easy, not with the limited aiming factors of the primaries,” Amantus replied.
“It isn’t,” Dant nodded. “But you did well, despite Corus’s maniacal dodge routine.”
“It would have been easier if we had enemies incoming,” Corus added. “I’d have kept the nose pointed at the nearest, or designated target.”
“You tested Amantus against your ‘bugging out’ regime?” Dant asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll be damned,” Dant chuckled. “You’re quite the marksman, Amantus.”
“Engineering reports the forward primary array is now calibrated,” Falle announced.
“Tell them we’ll test the rear battery,” Dant replied.
“Yes, ma’am.”
This did not take long, as no issues were found with the conduits ‘aiming or focusing. Dant then took Amantus through the ordering of a stiletto strike, which crewmen generally handled.
“You lock the target here,” she pointed. “And press the command sequence to designate it to the various teams manning the stilettos.”
“I take it they have a far greater aiming alignment?” Amantus asked.
“Yes, and a far lesser range,” Dant confirmed. “We generally use them on an already beaten target to prevent them from running away.”
“A powerplant shot?”
“If the computers know where the powerplant is, yes.”
“I see,” Amantus nodded.
“The final weapon we carry is missiles, various warheads and types, though all based on a standard design,” Dant continued with the teach-in.
“Proximity, high explosive, deep penetration and electronic countermeasures,” Amantus listed the ones he knew of.
“Those are the ones the Lignet carries,” Dant nodded. “Though a Fleet carrier also carries antimatter, and a planetary assault carrier carries area bombardment missiles designed to spread bomblets over an area.”
“And the Captain or senior officer decides what we throw at someone?”
“Usually, sometimes you can simply be trusted to get on with things,” Dant smiled. “Though I’d wait till you hit Sub-Commander before trying that.”
“That might take a while,” Amantus chuckled.
“True, but you’ll get there, even if the odds are stacked against you,” Dant shrugged.
“Assuming I don’t die on the way,” Amantus sighed.
“That’s why we’re training you so hard, though, yeah, there is random chance at play,” Dant nodded. “Your time off assignment is to list the armament of the Lignet and its applications.”
“Oh joy,” Amantus chuckled, making Dant smile.
“Next mission, you’ll man the station, if needed, so study hard and ensure I don’t have to give you help.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The Lignet was assigned to the Phenos system after its weapon calibration exercise, which Admiral Klessi openly insisted was where the Tremans infiltrated the Protectorate to spy on them.
“It’s total rimphok droppings,” Crendon groused. “We’re being sent there to be forgotten because Klessi doesn’t want another incident to make him look bad.”
“Not a lot the Captain can do about it,” Amantus shrugged. “And you never know after what happened in Nimta.”
“Guess so, but I suspect we’ll be bored.”
“Probably, but the training won’t stop,” Amantus chuckled. “How are you coping, Mabis?”
“A lot better, thanks,” Mabis smiled. “Collis has been keeping me busy with advanced genetic manipulation of the plant and what you can, if the circumstances require it, get it to do.”
“Seems weird,” Crendon chuckled.
“So’s what you do when you were calibrating the primaries,” Mabis laughed.
“True, the adjustments we made to primary one were minuscule,” Crendon admitted. “How Zaka knew the latent spread was there is uncanny.”
“Casz reported a dead hit, though the damage sustained wasn’t in line with expectations,” Amantus replied. “Zaka took it from there.”
“Ah, I see,” Crendon nodded. “I learned quite a bit when we did the adjustments, as Ticce just supervised and observed.”
“Best way to learn,” Amantus nodded. “Though that’s what I’m doing this shift with Dant as I’m her shadow.”
“Unless we spot something,” Mabis added.
“I can hope.”
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.