The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [90]
‘Two of the carrier’s battery-support ships have broken formation in our direction, due to intercept our course in six point three minutes – they will be in weapons range in three point nine minutes.’
Greg gritted his teeth and shook his head. ‘Estimated time until lockouts are decrypted.’
‘Five point five minutes.’
‘There is some good news,’ said Ash.
‘Hope so – d’ye know how many beam projectors each of them battery ships carries?’ Greg said, peering up at the sensor readings. ‘Twenty-four, that’s how many! So, how good is your good news?’
‘Self-repair systems have got one of the Starfire’s main generators back online.’ Ash smiled down at him from the left-hand screen. ‘We’ve now got one of our beam cannons charged and ready to fire.’
Greg nodded, smiling weakly. ‘I suppose you could get in a lucky shot, or ten.’
‘If we even had the thrust drive at least we wouldn’t be such a sitting duck.’
A gloomy silence held sway. On the central holoscreen a countdown ate away at time. Greg was restlessly pacing the deck when he felt a shudder underfoot.
‘Starfire-copy, what was … ’
‘Full control over main systems has been regained – instructions?’
‘Bring thrust drive online,’ said Ash. ‘Initiate evasive manoeuvres. Re-establish forcefield tow on Starfire. Ready all weapons, target the leading vessel.’
‘Hegemony vessels have increased velocity,’ said the ship AI. ‘One point one minutes till their weapons are in range.’
Greg gnawed his lips, drawing blood. ‘Are we moving at all?’ he said. ‘It feels like we’re … ’ He paused, seeing the countdown slip below one minute, seeing the seconds pour away, wondering if Catriona would ever know, wishing he’d taken time to write her a note …
‘Hegemony ships have stopped and are reversing course,’ said the ship AI. ‘The carrier appears to be under attack from another vessel – newcomer did not register until twenty seconds ago then swiftly approached Hegemony carrier – newcomer’s configuration is unfamiliar, has a rough hemispherical shape and a number of tapering spokes around its edge – hull seems featureless and black. Carrier has engaged with all onboard defences and is deploying interceptors.’
On the screen missile strikes and beam impacts wreathed the mysterious black ship in a corona of fire and destruction. Seemingly unaffected, it had not thus far responded with weapons of its own. The battery ship which had remained with the carrier had already unleashed the full force of its twenty-four beam cannons, a column of dazzling energies that struck the black ship square on. When the back-tracking companion vessels at last came into range they likewise brought their cannon arrays to bear, and then there were three spears of ferocity hammering away at that black hemispherical hull.
The unknown vessel seemed not to notice. Going by the onscreen images, there was no evidence that the fearsome triple onslaught was having any effect at all. The black ship, however, was moving with almost casual grace through the firestorm to position itself at an odd angle to the Hegemony carrier, poised forward of the midsection and off to one side.
‘What is it doing?’ Greg murmured.
‘Nothing friendly,’ said Ash.
The three battery ships had ceased firing and were moving round to focus their attacks on the mystery vessel’s underside. At the same time one of the spines protruding from the black ship’s rim began to extend towards the carrier. A weird jagged radiance played around the gradually telescoping tip and Greg was wondering if it was some kind of onboard systems disabler when it suddenly shot forward.
The impact wasn’t visible from the Silverlance’s perspective but the long-range visual feed showed a few glittering pieces of debris come into view. Ash muttered something under his breath and Greg watched in appalled fascination, unprepared for what happened almost ten seconds later. The interceptors had redoubled their efforts and the battery ships were unleashing the fury of their beam cannons