Alpha One - Chris Burton [127]
The document containing the status of the wormholes and the perceived threat from the Kryl was released directly onto the local Alpha domain and, from there, copied remotely to over eighteen hundred local distribution sites. By 9 a.m. the next morning, the news spread like wildfire. Panic was about to grip the Earth.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Escaping the Kryl
The jump ship fell limply like a small rock dislodged from a mountain pass. It was falling towards a light. As the light drew nearer, the view became clearer. It wasn’t a light, it was a doorway. A doorway to the Kryl Galaxy. Jake Carter and his Sabre 4 were about to go through it.
When Jake came to, he’d been unconscious for nearly ten minutes. His spinning ship had cleared the blue wormhole. Suddenly aware of his predicament, Jake subconsciously assumed control of the vessel and brought her around. She suffered little from her enduring free-fall, but the NAVCOM was offline. He looked around and noted nothing of any particular significance. The star configurations looked markedly different, but in all other respects he could have been in the Pegasus galaxy or even the Solar system. As he explored his surroundings further, he realized he was not alone. Earth vessels surrounded him. Not Alpha but private vessels attempting to travel back toward the wormhole. They were pursued by the Kryl.
Jake did not stick around long enough to find out. His sensors picked up an Alpha Battle Cruiser presumably making good her escape.
Now’s not the time for heroism, thought Jake. He pulled the ship away from the Kryl and the departing Earth vessels, towards the Battle Cruiser and engaged his ion drive. The Sabre accelerated briskly and was instantly taken from the threat of the Kryl. He set a pursuit course for the Battle Cruiser and opened a comm link.
* * * *
“Sir, we have picked up an Alpha comm link from a jump ship on an intercept course with us. She is catching up quickly.” He paused and then added “She will be in weapons range in thirty seconds.”
“Can you verify her Alpha coding?”
“Yes, she is using a current and authorized Alpha code. She is a Sabre 4 sir, but the call sign suggests she is being piloted by an Enson.”
“Let the tractor beam bring her in and bring the pilot to me.”
* * * *
“What are you doing out here, Enson Carter?” asked Commander Hoskins.
“Same as you, I would imagine Sir. I am looking for Professor Winterburn and I assume that as we are not on a definite course, that you don’t know where he is.”
Jake was in an assertive mood. His confidence surprised Hoskins.
“On the contrary, Mister Carter. We do know where he is and we have a vessel locked into an intercept course some distance ahead, but on our current heading. I should thank you for your actions, which have not only provided us with the precise location of the blue wormhole fissure, but also have given us the opportunity to slip out of harm’s way and away from the Kryl fracas. That will facilitate a more prompt departure when the time comes. What do you know about Winterburn?”
Jake went on to explain Carla, her sister and his meeting with Winterburn. He explained for what felt like the umpteenth time, why he came to the Tri-Star system and finally here.
“So, you seem to have covered yourself, right up to when you decided to go A.W.O.L. in one of Admiral Shenke’ s prize jump ship. Let’s hope it was worth it.”
Hoskins paused and then continued. “I think you have to be realistic. Winterburn shot off after we arrived here. I doubt he had time to pick up stragglers prior to departing. Carla is probably in one of those ships pursued by the