Authors: Thorarinn Gunnarsson
The wolf ships now dropped to street level for the final phase of their
attack. They began to streak in low and fast, firing rapid bursts from their
auxiliary cannons into the lowest levels of those three buddings, so that in
barely half a minute they were all reduced to smoking rubble. This was not
wanton destruction but a calculated strategic move. The destruction of those
buildings also meant the destruction of the bureaucracy they housed. The
management of both the government and the trade company in this sector would be
seriously impaired for months or even years to come.
Once that task was complete, the Starwolves withdrew to the upper levels of
the cavern, forming into their separate packs. Velmeran found eight present,
including his own; the two that comprised Baress's assault force had not yet
returned.
"Baress?" Velmeran called.
"We are on our way out," he answered promptly. "The planetary
defenses are down. Cut a hole in the roof and start out. We would join you in
time to bring up the rear."
Velmeran waited no longer. Flying out over the middle of the city, he dived
down to make some running room and arched up toward the dome, aiming a blast
from his accessory cannon to its very center. As the smoke cleared he saw blue
morning sky beyond and shot through that small opening without hesitation, his
pack following him closely. The transport slipped through the hole next, and
the remaining packs brought up the rear. The second attack force shot out the
tunnel leading to the power complex in time to fall in place behind the others.
Once all the wolf ships were clear, they began to accelerate quickly, at the
same time reforming into the tight arrowheads of their running formations.
Velmeran's pack took the lead and the rest gathered into a defensive sphere
about the transport. Once assembled, they accelerated straight up, leaving the
planet by the shortest course. They were aware that a fleet of Union destroyers
and battleships such as they had never seen lay directly in their path, waiting
to intercept them.
At that moment four more groups of five packs each suddenly appeared at the
same instant, descending upon the Union fleet with frightening speed as they
closed for the kill. Warships tried to adjust to the new attack, frantically pivoting
to face incoming ships. The only result was that the fleet was in a state of
complete confusion as their new attackers began to rip them apart with cannons
they did not normally expect on fighters. The Starwolf forces closed quickly to
crush the Union ships between their concentrated barrage, the packs separating
to strike at different portions of the fleet, then separating again as fighters
went after individual targets. They shot to kill, their accessory cannons
tearing entire ships apart in a single pass.
Velmeran's assault force stayed in tight formation, concentrating their own
fire on anything in or near their path, opening a hole for themselves through
the enemy fleet. Six of the packs fell behind the transport to guard the rear
as they shot through that opening unopposed. Then they were out the other side,
and the six following packs circled around to return to battle. Two of the
remaining packs dropped back behind the transport as they prepared to cross the
Union's second line of defense.
Farther out, in an arch behind the first fleet, awaited the stingships.
Their original task had been to go after anything that tried to break from the
main battle. They now prepared themselves to intercept this small group fleeing
with their prize. Thirty carriers worked quickly to release their loads,
swinging long racks of stingships out from their sides for deployment.
Before they were able to launch, powerful bolts of energy leaped out from
empty space, so powerful that they completely destroyed the carriers and their
cargoes of stingships on touch. Perhaps the Union pilots looked about in
confusion for their unseen enemy, but their scanners reported only empty space.
At the last instant indistinct shapes of enormous proportions began to
register, only a moment before the carriers themselves became visible. The
three immense ships went through the second line of defense like mowers
reaping a field, leaving nothing but Velmeran's assault force as he led it to
the safety of open space. The Methryn circled back to follow, accelerating
quickly to move ahead, whfle the Delvon and the Karvand continued on. Their
presence in the first field of battle would decide matters there very quickly.
Once they were well away of the area of Vinthra and the possibility of any danger,
Velmeran cut acceleration to give the Methryn a chance to overtake them. He
waited as she moved ahead and positioned herself before the packs, matching
speed for their final approach. The transport separated from the rest, heading
for its own bay just ahead of the big holding bays. The four packs moved apart,
each orienting on one of the Methryn's four flight decks as the fighters fed
back in single file for landing.
The welcome sight of home served as a signal to Velmeran that it was time to
shut down, in spite of his best efforts to remain alert. He had not eaten in
ten hours now, too long for a Kelvessan under any circumstances, who could
starve to death in only three days. He was able to bring his ship in for an
acceptable landing with only the greatest effort, then sat back in his seat,
wondering how he was going to get himself out of the cockpit. Benthoran was
there as soon as the rack was in place, unstrapping him and actually lifting
him out of the cockpit to all but carry him down the platform to the deck,
leaning him against the platform of the rack.
"Can you hold on here for a moment?" Benthoran asked.
"Yes, of course," Velmeran insisted.
"Someone wtil be along to help you in a minute. You are needed on the
bridge."
Velmeran nodded, and promptly forgot all about it as he wished for something
to eat. Because he was not looking up, he did not see it coming. Four strong
arms suddenly closed about him as he was hugged with crushing force, so tightly
that he squeaked in protest in spite of his armor. He had no idea who might
have hold of him; all he could see was white armor, brown hair and a pointed
ear. All Kelvessan had brown hair and pointed ears. The white armor was the
clue, and it was not tall enough to be Mayelna. He could think of no one else
who would spare him such obvious affection except... Consherra?
"Meran, you did it!" she exclaimed. Definitely Consherra.
"I know I did it. I was there."
She let go of him quickly, looking as if she had committed the worst of
indiscretions. Remembering the container she carried in one hand, she pulled
off the top and gave it to him. "Drink this."
Velmeran took the container and drank deeply. It contained a concentrated
solution of sugars that Kelvessan could put to immediate use as a source of
energy, as he had suspected.
"That is just to get you going again," Consherra explained.
"I have more waiting. Just now you must get to the bridge in record
time."
"What is it?" Velmeran asked as she began to lead him toward the
lift.
"Someone wants to talk to you."
Consherra put them on a waiting lift, refusing to say another word except to
explain that nothing was wrong. She distracted him from asking too many
questions – which she would not answer anyway – by placing
something to eat in every free hand he had. By the time the lift reached the
bridge, he was beginning to feel not quite so hungry and a great deal stronger.
Best of all, his mind was once again clear and his thoughts sharp.
As they entered the bridge, Velmeran saw that Mayelna was standing at the
com station, both she and Valthyrra peering over Korleran's shoulder. All three
glanced over when they saw that Consherra had returned with him. Mayelna
hurried over to intercept the pair, drawing them up short.
"Listen to me well, Meran," she explained quickly. "Councilor
Lake is on the com and he wants to talk to you. Understand this. The ships have
withdrawn their packs and the Vardon's memory cell is safely on board. We have
had no losses, not a dent, scratch nor scoring. Your plan worked perfectly."
Velmeran nodded in understanding. With the taking of Vannkam behind him, he
must now play the part of the Starwolf extraordinaire, the young hero whose
name made Sector Commanders swear and company executives turn pale with fright.
He accepted that, because it was important to his plans. Mayelna led him to the
communications console and Korleran surrendered her seat to him.
"Councilor Lake?" he said as Korleran helped him adjust the com
mike.
"Commander Velmeran?" the Councdor asked in return.
"No, just pack leader," Velmeran corrected him.
"Excuse me. I confer tides where they are deserved," Lake
explained. "I am so glad to be able to catch you at home. I do want to
thank you for being so efficient. I went to take a quick look after you left.
It looks a mess, but it is all superficial. I want to thank you for sparing my
city."
"And you knew it," Velmeran said. "You ordered the evacuation
of the three buildings that you knew we would destroy."
"So? The only intelligent move I made in this affair. I thought I was
so smart, figuring out that you would be paying me a visit. Do you know, I had
the dome shield rigged to collapse after a shot or two from your big
ships?"
"Indeed? I like my way better."
"Of course it was better! I should have known that you would not kill a
city to get at the thing, but how was I to know that you would come up the
drain?" He paused for a moment. "Did you, by any chance, happen to
run across Don?"
"Yes, we met."
"And you shot him?"
"I had my duty," the Starwolf explained. "He ran from me, and
I shot him in the back. I do not know if he survived, but he did disappear
while we were preoccupied with other matters. Either he crawled out the door,
or someone came to collect him."
"I suppose that I would have to collect all the king's horses and all
the king's men and go look for him," the Councdor mused, then grew
serious. "You know, perhaps, that he set up the test date on our new
weapon to trap you? Well, there is something else you should know. I dread
having to tell you, but I do not want Don – if he is still alive –
to use it as a weapon to hurt you sometime in the future.
"You see, we know that he killed Dveyella. Her body was intercepted and
sent to me on a courier. Of course, I recognized her at once, and I knew that
she was special to you. Now, before you send your fighters back to get me, I
must tell you that I allowed no one to touch the body. I had it delivered into
our sun, according to your own ritual, and attended the ceremony myself. I do
hope that you can forgive me. Don may have already payed for it with his
life."
"Such payment is of no value to me," Velmeran replied evenly.
"Dveyella is avenged in a way that would mean something to her."
"I imagine so," the Councilor agreed hesitantly. "Then I do
not think that we will ever meet again. Farewell, my young friend. I wish that
you were on my side. No, I take that back. I wish that I was on your
side."
"Farewell for now, Councdor," Velmeran replied. "You would
hear from me from time to time."
"Ah, yes. That is exactiy what I am afraid of," Lake muttered as
his link began to fail.
Velmeran sighed and leaned back heavily in the chair as Korleran reached
over him to return communications back to monitoring their own ships. She
glanced down at him tolerantly. "Captain, I have work to do."
He opened his eyes to look up at her. "Can you get me up?"
"I can," Consherra said, and hooked a hand under each of his arms
to haul him unceremoniously out of the seat. As soon as Velmeran was able to
stand, he brushed her away impatiently.
"I can walk!" he insisted. "Why should I be any more tired
than the pilots who flew under me?"
"Because you have been under the stress of responsibility for those
pilots and their mission," Valthyrra replied. "I doubt that you have
rested in days, not since the morning when you first tried to fly underwater.
And perhaps not for days before that."
"Which, I suspect, is true," Mayelna added, turning him in the
direction of the lift. "Your mission is complete, so rest while you can.
We will be making a nine-hour jump to a system where we can straighten out our
affairs in peace, and we will not need you until then. Consherra, would you
take him to his cabin, un-can him and see that he gets the rest he needs?"
"Actually, I believe Consherra is due to go off duty herself,"
Valthyrra observed.
"I am?" she asked, pausing to look back. That was not what she
believed. Then she understood, and brightened. "Thank you!"
Mayelna glanced up. "Are they..."
The camera pod made a shrugging motion. "I think so."
Consherra led Velmeran to the lift and sped them on their way. As soon as
the lift was in motion, she began to remove his gloves, stacking them inside
the helmet she carried. He had ceased to protest, for his strength was again
fading fast. Valthyrra had been right. In a sense, he had been fighting this
battle since Dveyella had died. Now he was tired, and there was only one cure
for that – as reluctant as he was to admit it.
"I might just leave you in that suit and lean you against the
wall," Consherra observed, reaching that same conclusion. "Meran, the
only cure for this is a few hours of sleep."
"I know," he agreed weakly. "I do not think that I could
avoid it if I had to. But I do not like it... and I am afraid."
Consherra nodded. "I understand. It is not a pleasant thing, for all
the good it does. I would stay with you, if you like. You do not have to be
alone."
The lift slowed to a stop and the two stepped out. Then they paused and
looked about, since they were not where they expected to be.