The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [89]
‘C’mon Ash, where are you?’ he muttered.
‘Starfire-copy now embedded,’ said a different voice. ‘Rerouted bridge systems online – access is partial due to encrypted lockouts … onboard environment compromised by depressurisation.’
‘Starfire-copy, this is Greg Cameron,’ he said aloud. ‘Do you recognise me?’
‘Voice pattern confirmed as Greg Cameron, Darien envoy … ’
‘Okay, listen,’ he said as he sat on the equipment case. ‘We need you to close all the hatches which have been opened.’
‘Security and maintenance system lockouts have been encrypted – decryption estimate thirteen point seven minutes.’
Greg felt like tearing his hair out. ‘We’ve not got the time! Is there any other way to override the hatch controls?’
‘Data on Hegemony ship systems hierarchy incomplete – shall extrapolate using Tygran vessel Starfire systems.’
‘Fine – and can you open a channel to the bridge of the Starfire while yer at it?’
There was no response. Greg stood and went over to the line of consoles, speaking again to the ship AI and still getting no reply. He was starting to feel light-headed when the lights abruptly brightened and shifted to a new pattern of pulses. The alarm also changed to a higher, faster pitch.
‘In the name of the wee man,’ he snarled. ‘What now?’
‘This alert signifies a containment breach in the fuelling sublevel and a discharge of radioactive material into the environment circulation,’ said the ship AI. ‘This triggers a high-priority override which closes and seals all doors and hatches – shipboard atmospheric integrity is no longer compromised and all sectors are now repressurising.’
Greg grinned. ‘And the containment breach?’
‘A fiction – false sensor readings were sent to the air quality subsystem, which escalated them to the environment oversystem. Another false report from the fuel pressure subsystem corroborated the warning and the override was triggered. System lockout decryption estimate nine point six minutes.’
One of the overhead screens flicked on and there was Ash, gazing down.
‘Good work keeping your nerve, Mr Cameron. We’ll make a Tygran of you yet.’
‘Aye, well, I’ll be happy to take a shot at it if we can get back on course … ’
Ash hesitated. ‘Starfire’s thrust drives are offline, but without the power drain of towing us, the Silverlance might manage it.’
‘I see, you mean a one-way ticket, suicide mission sort of thing.’
‘Yes, that would be … wait, energy readings for your weapons have just spiked, and the targeting sensors too. Starfire-copy, explain.’
‘Weaponry and sensors are among a group of systems locked out of access – decryption estimate eight point two minutes – warning: beam projector targeting has switched to long-range mode and is pinpointing the carrier – flank and forward batteries have opened fire.’
‘That vessel is at the outside limits of long-range weapons,’ Ash said.
‘Sensor data indicates that the Hegemony carrier has suffered minimal hull damage,’ said the Silverlance. ‘Carrier velocity is falling – we are being probed by their sensors – incoming communication: “War-vessel Ivwa-Kagoy, you are to render all weaponry inert and prepare to be boarded” – no response is possible due to comms lockout – warning: shipboard launchers are now powering up – nearby targets have been acquired.’
‘What targets?’ Greg said sharply.
‘Four evacuation pods recently ejected from this ship and currently headed towards planet Darien.’
The Sendrukan escapees? Greg thought. That Hegemony AI did this …
‘That AI said our destruction was assured,’ he said. ‘It set this up, to make it look as if we’re firing on defenceless … ’
‘Missiles launched and on course.’ Seconds passed, then on one of the big screens there was a bright flare, followed by another three. ‘Evacuation pods destroyed.’
Greg felt sick to his stomach. One of the holoscreens step-zoomed in on the Hegemony carrier group. The carrier was a long vessel with a hexagonal cross-section and a large triangular midsection which was probably where the command and control decks