The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [86]
Greg stared up at the map in horror. Red triangles were littered all across the colony – towns, villages, hamlets and cities, even sizeable farm compounds had been marked for destruction. Even the buildings at Gangradur Falls and the small settlements scattered throughout the Forest of Arawn. Tusk Mountain was the focus of a conspicuous cluster of red triangles, although Giant’s Shoulder was noticeably clear of them. Then there was the enclave of Brolturan troops to the north – had the Hegemony commander contacted them, perhaps even talked with Kuros? Then he realised that there was little point in speculation. There was only one thing that was about to happen to Darien, and one word to describe it.
Genocide.
‘We have to stop them, Ash,’ he said. ‘We cannae sit back and let them do this!’
The Tygran officer was glowering up at the map.
‘That carrier,’ he said, ‘destroyed one of those Imisil ships and chased off the other, and either of them could take on this Heg ship and win.’ He glanced at Greg. ‘So how, Mr Cameron, can we go up against it and succeed?’
‘Do what we did before – throw a shuttle at it … ’
Ash shook his head. ‘That carrier masses something like a million and a quarter tons fully manned and loaded. Ramming it with a shuttle would be like throwing a shoe at a charging behemox. On the other hand, if we used a ship … ’
Greg made a rueful grimace. ‘The Starfire?’
Ash got down from the big seat, stretched his back and studied the screen displays. ‘Silverlance AI – with the Starfire in tow, would we be able to intercept the carrier group before it came within weapons range of Darien?’
‘Assuming maximum velocity within tolerances and a flight time of forty-two minutes, this vessel could achieve intercept with eight point three minutes to spare … Communication has been received from the Hegemony commander, contains updated version of target list and personal orders.’
‘Read me the orders,’ Ash said grimly.
‘Translated, it begins: “From Phalanx Supreme Ordainer Jothul, aboard the Great Carrier Baqrith-Zo, to Effector-Captain Vadeyni of the Implementer Ivwa-Kagoy – the Imisil raiders have been defeated, though not without cost. You are to break off current action and rejoin Phalanx at coordinates alpha. Equally, you are to examine the attached list of unassigned targets and respond with prioritised selection matching your vessel’s capabilities. Ends.” This message also came as an audio message, all encrypted to level five. What reply should be made?’
‘Send an “acknowledged – please stand by”-type response,’ said Ash. ‘Buy us some time.’
‘This has already been done.’
‘Wait another minute then repeat.’
‘We can only send a plain message,’ Greg said. ‘Tell them our comm systems were seriously mangled in a fight with a Tygran warship … ’
‘ … which we have captured almost intact and are claiming as victor’s prize.’ Ash nodded. ‘Silverlance, can you phrase that suitably in a response? End by saying we have set course and are under way.’
‘Done, sir.’
‘And select a number of targets from that list, something plausible given our weaponry. Send when ready.’
‘Message has now been sent. Sir, do you wish to deploy the forcefield in a towing configuration anchored to the Starfire?’
‘Inform the bridge of the Starfire, then deploy fields and lay in the intercept course.’
‘Communication made, sir … course set, thrusters engaged … we are under way.’
Greg smiled and nodded approvingly.
‘Interesting that you use headsets and console pickups aboard the Starfire, while here it’s all speaking into the air.’
‘The difference is that on Hegemony ships they love the sound of their own voices!’
They laughed.
‘I’ll have to take the shuttle back to Starfire, get the remaining crew evaced over here,’ Ash said. ‘And I have to be there in order to set the various self-destructs. And in the meantime, I’m leaving you in charge, temporary measure.’
‘There’s only twenty-six minutes