Chapter 11: Star yacht

I had decided to head back to Saint Michael so after a week on the station we undocked and headed out. We skipped out towards the heliopause and had reached it when Edgar spun, “A ship just appeared and is headed for us.”

I glanced at him and then at the repeater before looking at Peter in the pilot seat, “A destroyer. Preplot a pattern of skips.”

I looked at Samantha and she growled as she fired six missiles. A few moments later and just before the missiles struck we skipped. Peter spun the ship when we came out but the destroyer was gone. A moment and it jumped out behind us and we turned and skipped as it fired. I was white knuckled as I leaned forward in the seat.

We came out of skip and turned but the destroyer was once more gone. It came out behind us as we skipped and I turned to start plotting and sent a set of coordinates to Samantha as we came out again. Peter turned and once more the destroyer skipped out behind us. I sent the new skip plot to Peter as he cursed and hit the skip button just after Samantha fired six missiles.

I was tense and knew sooner or later one of us would not skip in or out in time. This time we came out and Peter twisted and turned the ship down in a spiral. I held my breath as the destroyer skipped out right in front of the last missiles we had fired. They hit the rear of the ship and ripped it apart and I sighed as I sat back and looked at Edgar.

He was watching his scan and smiled as he looked at me, “Two lifeboats managed to separate.”

I nodded and looked at the scan repeater, “And six cruisers are almost here.”

We slowed and watched as the lifeboats were picked up by the cruisers. I gestured to Peter and he grinned as he turned the ship and began the plot for our long jump. We came out a couple of days beyond the heliopause. We waited for the passive scans before ghosting towards the spot we had chosen.

There were a few warships in the system but mostly just patrolling closer to the stations and planets. Transports jumped in several times but were to far away. It was almost two weeks before we got something. Samantha was running sims, Peter was the pilot with Edgar on scan. I was lounging in the captain’s chair and thinking of moving to another position.

I glanced at Edgar when he jerked, “Wormhole opening ten thousand kilometers away!”

I sat up and hit general quarters, “Samantha prep missiles.”

I had barely spoken when two cruisers jumped out followed by a yacht. I glanced at Samantha in her holo, “Take the left!”

Six missiles flashed out as Peter brought the ship alive. It leaped forward as he began to spiral and Edgar began counter measures. The left cruiser exploded as the other turned and accelerated. Six more missiles slashed out before we skipped. I came to my feet, “If you kill that cruiser go after the yacht!”

I ran off the bridge and towards the boarding airlock hatch. Samantha came on a moment later, “Second cruiser destroyed! Two life boats free, boarding party prepare for action!”

I suited up as fast as I could with Tana and Lorenz, the others were almost finished and waiting. It felt like hours before Edgar came on the intercom, “Standby and do not waste time we have a dozen cruisers coming out.”

We felt the jar of the ship docking and I waited for the green light and hit the hatch release. It slid open and the men rushed into the other airlock. When it opened we moved through the ship and I crossed to the very small lifeboat. I looked at the men crowded together and frowned at three men wearing crew clothing that did not come close to fitting.

I gestured, “You three come out.”

The captain stiffened, “No.”

I smiled, “Very well. We will pump the air out before kicking the boat free.”

His was not the only face that went white. I gestured to the three men, “Step out.”

They came out slowly and I glanced at one of the men with me, “Search them.”

I turned and opened my comm, “How does it look?”

“Clean.”

I closed the hatch, “Kicking the lifeboat free.”

He was reaching for the emergency jetuson button when my comm went off, “Wormhole opening! Two destroyers!”

I hesitated before slamming my hand down on the button, “Secure these men!”

I spun and ran for the bridge, “Prepare to get under way!”

“Missiles!”

I sprinted onto the bridge and slid into the pilot seat as I started hitting controls, “Undoc...”

The ship lurched and Peter swore, “Breach!”

I cursed, “Abandoned ship! Everyone get to the yacht!”

I was checking everything and glanced at Lorenz in her holo, “Status?”

She grinned, “Ready to go.”