Chapter 8: Dust Cloud

The Thauran now known as Red Dragon cursed at the Situation and cursed his Sensor Operator.”You said you detected the Silver Streak in Orbit. Where is it?”

“I swear to you it was there one second and now it’s gone. I think she went over the Pole. Adjusting for magnetic interference now.”

“What a worthless idiot are you? Is she there or not?”

“No Captain I cannot detect her ship anywhere in the system, maybe our Sensors were damaged.”

“Of course your sensors are damaged. She can’t simply disappear, get them fixed now!”

“Yes, Dragon.”

The irritated pirate captain tried to calm down. “Now let’s sort things out. Hail the Intruder first.” The face of the Orkh appeared on his viewer and he went straight to the situation.

“We are buried underneath whatever this thing is. Shields are gone, the Hull is holding, but my Engineer says that thing is feeding on the metal. Our estimate is that we can survive for a few hours at best and then the hull is dissolved. As soon as you help us get out of here, we might be able to jury-rig her with spare parts for a limb back home.”

“I call you right back. I need to talk to the others as well.”

The Bloody Mary was next. Crimson Curse was furious. “I am going to kill that stupid Meateater. It was him who fired on those crab symbiotes and agitated that planet covering organism.”

“How is your status?”

“I am still on the Surface but I managed to get the Ship into the Ocean. The thing hasn’t followed us into the water.

We lost a few hull plates and one Enticer module is bent out of alignment but I think we can fix that within a day or so. The Refinery is scattered all over and we are trying to gather the pieces.”

“Alright, stay put.”

The Red Dragon waved at his Communication equipment operator. “Now get me the Puup.”

Brathering also responded right away. “No Damage here, just lost four of my crew working on the refinery. I think I scattered it a bit as I lifted off and toasted them in the process.”

He acknowledged, cut the Puup off and commanded. “Now get me the Silver Streak.”

“Sorry Captain I am unable to raise her. She might still be buried under that thing. Since our sensors are damaged who knows what that Bulfong thought he saw.”

The Scanner operator, a Togar extended his claws and threatened the beardless Kermac at the Comm Board. “I will rip you to pieces!”

“Cut it out you two! Or I kill you both! Meateater has now lots of Crew who wants to come with us! Now find that Silver Streak. If she is buried we burn her out. There is plenty of treasure in that ship that makes it worth burning the entire planet to ashes!”

Circuit came on the bridge and positioned himself before me. “All shields are operational again. She and Narth have fixed and reset the Janus Device and we are the Karthanian once again. That Landing strut is back in shape in about two hours. Our real hull doesn’t even have a scratch, captain. Tyron Suit who was still on me said. “That armor of this formidable ship is indeed quite advanced and if we add self-repair capability to it is better than Seenian armor. Your sensors remain to appear to be quite rudimentary and I think we should change that.”

Circuit immediately responded.”You are one arrogant sack of molecule shifting matter, my hollow friend. Our Neutronium coated hull cannot be repaired with nanites. The coating is the densest matter known to Union science.”

“I am not hollow now, I am covering the shape of our Captain, a very nice shape if I understand Derek Simmon and a few of my friends correctly.”

I felt somewhat embarrassed. “What are you discussing in those lower desks?”

“Only the best, Captain.” Circuit was adding very fast and then he said.”Union sensor technology is quite advanced, we are hampered by the fact that we simulating an old clunker.”

“We could scale up my sensors, no one below Tech ten would even know we use them.”

I was certain the suit could not see my smile while being worn. “Well, you two work on that. Now let us get back to that planet. We need to explain our disappearance convincingly”

SHIP said.”The Silver Streak is only a simulation. We have the ‘Elfen Cloak’ tech and can fully cloak. It won’t mask regular engine emissions, but that won’t be a problem with TransDim gravimetric.”

“You can do that?”

“Yes, you all have been briefed on my equipment, back on Richter base.”

“I don’t think we covered all the marvelous equipment.” I said and then agitated I added.”We could have simply cloaked in Orbit.”

“You never asked or gave me a chance to suggest, but your solution was quite brilliant, Captain.”

“I am glad you approve, SHIP.”

“Now work with Narth and get that cloak going.”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Starman Suit, do you really think we could scale up your sensors. Being forced to fly half blind is one of the biggest limitations we have.”

“Yes I think that would be possible, I have some preliminary ideas. I know I am a security officer first, but can I assist Circuit with the landing strut?”

“Of course to right ahead.”

A robot stomped onto the bridge and the Suit separated itself from me, taking possession of the robot body again.

“Starman Suit?”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Please next time you separate from me, wait till while we are in private. This is the second time I am in the buff in front of everyone!”

“Oh, I apologize, I had no idea this was a problem.”

“I think Circuit needs to explain why we humans decide to wear clothing.” I glared at the others.” Go ahead and laugh. I know Har Hi is already biting his lip very hard and trying not to burst.”

Suit sounded distraught.”I truly am sorry. Being a garment myself, I did not make the connection. Seenians wore garments other than battle suits as well.”

Shea handed me a science officer lab coat, thankfully covering up I left the Bridge. “I will be right back.”

The cloak worked and we slipped back into orbit, well almost. In order to cloak a ship-sized object in space, reflected photons were the least problem, the biggest one was the constant generated heat that had to be bled into the near vacuum of space, then there was the particle stream that provided the thrust, it, of course, left a trail.

While the Tigershark could accelerate by projecting a gravitational singularity before the ship and thus continuously pull it towards it and thus not leave a particle stream, the excessive heat had to be funneled into hyperspace, a process which was not entirely tested nor working flawlessly. Thankfully the thermal radiation that was not transferred into hyperspace and trailed behind us was minuscule and hopefully not detected.

Shea confirmed the Sensor rays of the other two ships went right through us without sensing anything. Narth said.”Ensign Fivcheer made his sensor operator believe he fixed his malfunctioning Sensors.”

Har-Hi looked up from his readouts.”Our comm department has analyzed and consolidated the pirates’ transmissions. All, but one of the pirates managed to escape that continent-sized blanket creature, several suffered light to medium damage. There were several casualties.”

He tapped the info bubble to highlight another part of the report he had received. “The pirate captain Meateater and the Intruder received the brunt of the creatures attack. Crimson Curse believes it was Meateater firing on the crab creatures caused the reaction and the mayhem in the first place. They managed to get him out of under that living carpet.”

Hans had been joined by Lt. Senhadjii and they both had their heads together whispering and going over signal data so it appeared.Lt.d then Lt. Neugruber then said.”Captain, we have completed our assessment too. Meateater hopes our shields are still damaged. He was closest to us and he has witnessed our struggle, while he too was fighting the creature, and now plans to attack us.”

Hans looked at a projection of the Intruder and said.”His ship sustained heavy damage and is no longer able to translight. He obtained spare shield parts from Captain Basoro. He wants to lure us close, then fire upon us, because he thinks we have no shields. So he can force us to surrender and take possession of the Silver Streak.

The others will assist him if they think he succeeds.”

“Alright, that gives us a chance to take one out of the equation. Narth can you simulate damage on our Janus image the Janus fast?”

“Yes I think so, with SHIPS help I can display some damage, Shea’s image manipulation application from our Dolbarian adventure is awesome.”

I gave my fiance a thankful smile and explained. “I want them to be able to shoot at us once, then we turn on shields and that gives me a legitime excuse to retaliate.”

We waited for them to be out of a direct line of sight and SHIP turned our marvelous cloak off.

“Elfi open me a general channel on Myon.”

She made the ok sign with her left and gave me the go signal.

“Silver Streak calling anyone able to receive. We are testing our Communications Equipment, is it working again?”

“Ah, there you are, Black Velvet. We were already wondering where you ended up. So you did manage to get off the planet after all. Meateater was convinced he saw getting away. Our Sensors didn’t pick up anything. Any serious damage?”

“Only minor. Our shields are still down and we are fixing those.”

He gave me a short report and told me the situation and added. “We burned an area clean and secured the Intruder.

However, the organism is as big as the continent and there is more matter than we could destroy with the energy available. We think it might attack again.”

As he spoke the damaged Intruder appeared, from behind the Red Dragon, under shields firing Forced Energy projectors at us. Simultaneous he spoke into the open channel.” Captain Velvet, you have no shields. My next shots will vaporize your bridge and your weapons. You can, however, surrender and land. I take over your ship and guarantee your crew will have a chance to work for me. Refuse and we all will destroy you.”

“You false bastard. I thought we were all in this together. Are you in with this Red Dragon?”

“Not yet Velvet, this is a private matter between you and him. He is desperate I can’t blame him. Whoever comes out on top comes along.”

“You guarantee the safety of my crew?”

“I will talk to Captain Meateater and I will take some aboard.”

“Alright, I will land.”

Shaka took the ship down closely followed by the Meateater, and the rest of the pirates not far behind. We too landed in the water this time.

The intruder was just about to land as well.

“Mao, shields. Target the Meateater’s weapons and shield generators and cut his remaining landing gear. Then pound him with Techstop.”

“Shields up. Firing now!”

“Elfi put me back their channel.”

She made a sign that I was on.

“Looks like my shields are back just in time. They weren’t as badly damaged as thought.” I put some anger in my voice. “Now, I am going to deal with this scum, once and for all. I had just about enough! Anyone interfering will find out what I took from Duke.”

I was certain most of them knew about the rumor that the Duke had Loki torpedoes and all of them knew there was nothing they could do to escape a real Loki torpedo that close.

Narth had an amused tone in his voice.”The Red Dragon just found out that his Seenian shields do not come on.”

It was the Red Dragon who responded. “As I said it is a private matter, between you and Meateater.”

I cut transmissions and said.”Hans, take our marines and all members of the container kick teams we are going to board the Intruder and arrest those who surrender and terminate who doesn’t. Then we plunder that ship in pirate fashion.”

I got up and added.”Mao, you have permission to use Lokis on all but the Red Dragon if they interfere. Elfi have you prepared the doctored visuals?”

“Yes, Captain, SHIP, TheOther and I did with lots of input from Mao, who loves the sickest gory horror virtus.”

“As soon as we are over there play it on our channels and use easy to hack codes keys as discussed.” “It’s ready Captain.”

Red Dragon watched as a small army emerged from the Silver Streak rushed and flew over to the damaged Intruder and boarding her.

His Comm Officer, the beardless Kermac said. “Captain I managed to break into Velvets command channel. She has a visual and audio feed going back to her ship.”

“Put it on.”

He and his bridge crew saw what a helmet cam of one of the boarders recorded. Black Velvet lead the boarding team herself, in her black outfit with a Nul Froth Caster in her left fist and a boarding ax in her right. She was like a banshee of legend let loose. She was shielded to her left by a real Y’All and to the left by a Nul. Who made sure nothing stopped her while she was dismembering and torturing the crew of the Intruder in the most brutal and inhuman way they had ever witnessed.

She showed no mercy even to those surrendering.

Meateater was the closest thing he had to a friend and to see him tortured like this for the codes of his ships computronics in such a gruesome manner was disturbing even to him. As she finally gouged the eyes out and ripped the throat from the already bleeding and mortally wounded captain, he almost threw up and looked away. Now Basoro called him. “We managed to get into her Comm Traffic. Do you want to see what she does?”

“No, I just did!”

“And I was almost going along with Meateater’s plan. She toyed with you again. Her shields weren’t as badly damaged as she made us believe.”

Now Sandovahl chimed in.”I never saw anything like that. Hell has no fury like her.”

Lia Bassett joined the conference call. “I did not think she would be that vicious. But then that just confirms all the reports we heard.”

Captain Carrhrh already listening from the start said. “I’ve seen her fight in the arena. She is a savage beast.”

“I won’t double cross her that is clear.” The Jooltar Basoro chimed in. “I was always decent to my prey. Seeing what she does I think she is even worse than you Red Dragon.”

Dragon leaned back. He had lost his Celtest shields. They simply didn’t activate and his engineer, of course, could not even begin to guess why. He was certain Velvet had the Loki torpedoes from the Duke and her threat to use them was not a bluff; she had become a serious threat.