Chapter 12: A stalking horse

We were only at the station long enough to turn over the prisoners and resupply before we left. We skipped out and I plotted a long jump into deep space and inside Saint territory. After we came out I turned and began another long jump plot to a system called Vendric which was a Norse system.

When we came out we waited for the scan return before I started in. Everyone was tense since there was a full Saint battle fleet in the system as well as a Norse fleet. Peter talked to the shipyard station control and got us clearance to dock. It was a long three week trip insystem as we worried about discovery.

As we moved closer to the station we continued to scan and saw what could only be the pocket battleship as it tested engines. We docked during the middle of the night cycle and I made sure the airlock hatches to the station were sealed. Everyone had either a hard suit or an evac suit. Now the hard part would start, we had to exit the other airlock in groups.

After everyone was out I used a space grave sled to pull them behind me. I stayed close to the station as we headed up and over and then out a huge construction wing. I slowed when we came to the ship and everyone moved away and spread out. We were looking for any vid cameras or workers or scan arrays.

It was very early when we began slipping into the outer airlock. I moved to the bridge with the other pilots and scan techs while Lorenz took the engineers the other way. Samantha had her people begin searching the ship and every set of quarters. A single Saint lieutenant was nodding in the captain’s chair when we entered.

Peter used a med injector while we held him. Ten minutes and everyone aboard was put to sleep or stunned and then put to sleep. I was checking the pilot controls with Sonia watching. I finally nodded and looked at the holo of Lorenz and Samantha, “Well?”

Lorenz grinned, “We have two skip engines and a jump engine as well as two phase reactors to supply all the power we need.”

I looked at Samantha and she grinned, “They were ready to begin testing the guns and the magazines are fully stocked.”

I glanced back at Peter and he grinned, “I will let the men know to start dumping the Saint garbage into the station.”

I grinned as I nodded to Lorenz, “Bring the systems on line.”

Five minutes and I was moving away from the station on thrusters. The comm was quiet as I turned and started to head deeper into the system. We did not want to engage or fight an entire fleet plus anything the Norse sent out. I was constantly reading the grav scan as the ship accelerate and Sonia began to plot a skip.

I glanced at Samantha, “Think you know how to work the guns?”

She nodded and I took a breath before we skipped. Right after we came out the comm started calling us. I plotted the next skip and we jumped and when we came out Tana turned, “The Saint fleet is skipping around the system.”

I nodded as I accepted Sonia’s plot and we skipped out. I was working on the next before we came out and refined it. We skipped and Tana shook her head, “They are going to be waiting for us.”

I glanced at Samantha, “It looks like you get to test the guns.”

She grinned fiercely, “Oh goody.”

I shook my head as I finished the next skip and we jumped. Samantha growled when we came out and Sonia fed me her skip. I started putting it in while checking it and just before we skipped Samantha fired the guns. When we came out six cruisers were only wrecks and two destroyers had lifeboats out.

My fingers were dancing as I plotted another skip and the Saint fleet fired their missiles. Samantha fired again and we skipped before the missiles could strike. When we came out Tana looked at us, “The Saint battleship is trailing debris and the other ships have stopped.”

I nodded as I input Sonia’s skip before we jumped, “Lorenz?”