Chapter 6: In the middle of battle

We took a few extra weeks to relax before going out again. I was looking at a fringe system the Saints had renamed Christopher. One of the things I liked was the fact that it was a high tech system so anything coming out would bring a high price. I started planning and made a few checks on the estimated enemy strength.

I did not like the vague answers or the looks I got from the intel people. While we were at the station Lorenz and Andy had looked at the missiles and found a way to almost triple the yield. They and David started to alter the missiles as I loaded the supplies. I sat in the captain’s seat while Sonia moved us away from the station.

It was actually a relief to head out again and I glanced at Samantha on scan as she hummed. Three weeks later I was the pilot and plotted our jump. When we emerged Tana jerked up, “Oh shit!”

I looked at her, “What?”

She relaid the scan as I turned the ship and the holograph repeater sprang up to one side. I jerked as I saw at least a hundred ships fighting in the system. A large freighter was moving through the battle at its fastest speed. I looked another few seconds, “Samantha?”

“I see them.”

I glanced at Lorenz in her holograph, “Keep the jump and skip engines ready.”

I turned to Peter leaning forward in the captain’s chair, “See the freighter?”

He snorted, “You want to go into the middle of that?”

I looked at the holograph once more, “They are ignoring it but what strikes me is the enemy.”

Samantha snorted, “They are keeping the fleet action clear.”

I nodded, “If they are trying to get it out I would like to see what they are carrying.”

I looked at Lorenz and she hesitated before nodding and then at Peter who was frowning but nodded too. I turned and changed course as I accelerated straight for the freighter. Tana jerked, “MISSILE!”

I glanced at the display while beginning to spiral the ship. The destroyer that had fired was beyond effective range and the missile would take over ten minutes to arrive. What was worse for the destroyer was the fact that they had turned away from the other warships. It exploded under their concentrated fire.

I glanced at Samantha, “Put a missile ten kilometers in front of it.”

I kept our ship on an erratic course and looked at Tana, “When the missile goes off send out our warning.”

The missile streaked away as I slowed the ship, “Do not kick the life boats away until just before you jump Peter.”

He stood, “Okay.”

The freighter hesitated before slowing and then coming to a stop. I think what helped was someone began jamming all the comm frequencies right then. I rotated the ship as we approached and slowed to use thrusters. The corvette docked smoothly and I waited nervously while watching the scan repeat display.

It felt like a long time before Samantha came on using the intercom from the airlock, “Secure and ready to go.”

I nodded, “Tell Peter to go.”

I waited a couple of long minutes before beginning to undock. I stayed close as the freighter began accelerating. I glanced at Samantha when her holograph from weapons control came up, “Anything heading this way?”

She shook her head, “It looks like the battle is breaking up though.”

I nodded and prayed they would leave us alone long enough to jump out. Samantha hissed, “A cruiser is skipping towards the freighter.”