Читать книгу Somewhere in the long forgotten future - Kevin Colbran - Страница 3

On the second emergence into 'Known Space', the bells rang to warn of challenge emissions coming from fighters zeroing in on the pulse generated by the re-entry from hyperspace. “Ah someone is waiting, use minimal deceleration, then we talk to them and convince them that we are harmless voyagers,” Humph suggested.

The radio crackled into life with a data pulse from the lead fighter, “Identify ship and destination.”

Humph transmitted back, “SW15724 Solterra ship Constant Moon, bound for Kessel sector.” One of Humph's alias used when on slightly less than legitimate freight duties.

“Standby for inspection of cargo, slow to Ten percent for boarding,” The interceptor ordered.

Off Radio Killa asked, “Give them the flick and shoot-through? I have the jump point lined up.”

“They would be straight onto Sub-ether radio and have a tractor beam waiting to nail us,” Humph said.

Then over the radio, “Will comply, decelerating, we have delicate cargo aboard.”

An aside to Algertz, Killa bragged, “We can run rings around them but let’s not let the cat out of the bag; strap down in case things get nasty.”

Humph pointed at the co-pilot's chair for Algertz then ambled off to his room to meld with the amoeboid mass where he could control all the armament and ship movements. His reaction times being computer fast in this mode.

Then via intercom, “The sensors detect one Sun Destroyer, three corvettes, several ancillaries and six wings of fighters covering entry and exit points so let’s just talk our way through; probably an anti-smuggler blockade.”

“Our documents should be Okay, and we have no contraband that we could detect, so this shouldn’t be a drama,” Killa agreed.

Several transmissions were guiding the ship to rendezvous with the shuttle with demands to decelerate at a higher rate. The latter was fended off citing cargo and class of freighter. The registration quoted was the original ID of Humph's ship and was consistent with the performance exhibited.

“Unless the sun destroyer throws a tractor beam on us we can blast out of here before they can blink. The downside being our cover is blown, and we will have to take a convoluted route to Kessel,” Killa explained to the youth, “And that could run us a bit low on fuel.”

With no further drama, the shuttle matched velocity came alongside, and a space-suited team entered the airlock. Accompanied by several armed storm troopers, the officer demanded the documentation. This information was handed over and downloaded onto his computer. “From Solterra where is that? There is no listing at those coordinates.”

“Our planet is only just starting to explore, so I have an Oxzen navigator to guide this ship,” Killa informed him.

“Documents seem in order, escort me to the freight holds for examinations,” The official stated, “I will leave a couple of troopers to keep the Oxzen from being lonely.” The official was escorted to the holds and shown the cargo; a technician using sniffer probes determined that the contents matched the manifest.

“You are permitted to proceed; I suggest that you adhere to established trade routes where customs officers can do this job,” The officer was apparently disappointed that the ship was legitimate, “As soon as my shuttle is away, you may depart.” Just as the boarding party was leaving his radio crackled, He said, “Message received, we are to detain the Oxzen for interrogation.” Barely had he spoken when all the boarding party collapsed as Humph's sleep rays hit them.

Several of Humph's stevedore avatars leapt from hidden hatches, bundled the Imperial team through the air lock and into their shuttle as the Yella Terra spun on its axis and commenced acceleration towards the hyper point that they had entered from, “Strap in, we are going for it.”

The Terra had been braking, using the forward thrusters so to complete this task and to accelerate back to the entry point the ship had to be re-orientated. For those vessels matching pace or converging to intercept it would seem that the ship had reversed direction and accelerated back towards the entry point.

As Humph's avatars scrambled back into his merge, the sounds of the main turrets could be heard whining into position. Killa took the opportunity to dive into the pilot’s seat and strap down, having first ensured that Algertz had done so. As the last belt clicked into place, G capsules wrapped around each chair, and then Killa was driven back into the padding as Humph cut in the primary drive and started erratic manoeuvres to throw the tie fighters aim off. Several thrums through the ship frame denoted that the same number of the fighter pilots had better learn to walk as their side vanes were blasted off. Humph being a peace loving soul had developed the skill at disabling rather than destroying opponents. All shields up including the pulsing red one warning the use of a ‘Firebrand’ shield.

. . .

Standing on the bridge of the Sun Destroyer Reynar, Commodore Bengo Rham was complacently watching the processing of the peculiar freighter, when his adjutant commented that the Oxzen was likely the one requested by headquarters.

“Signal the lieutenant to detain the Oxzen.”

“Aye, sir,” The adjutant affirmed and spoke into his microphone.

Barely had he spoken when the peaceful scene changed into a kaleidoscope of beams, rocket flare and flying debris as the scene changed abruptly from serene to chaos with the subject now surrounded by a pulsing red field.

“Blow his tail off Commander,” Rham ordered the captain of the corvette Doom Bringer. Then Rham watched in dismay as the Doom Bringer's cannon erupted in a flare as the beam touched the target; with an accompanying energy bubble expanding from the freighter. Several fighters had also fired, with them blowing up as a result.

“What the hell was that?” Rham asked aghast.

The intelligence officer suggested, “A red field is supposed to indicate a kinetic absorption shield, shooting at it may destroy both vessels. Captains often ignore this or test it with a small laser, as some pirates use the red pulse as a bluff.”

“Deploy missiles,” Then watched as the target now resembled a hedgehog as it zapped every missile as it approached; simultaneously the target’s tail erupted into a full military thrust as it reversed orientation and outstripped the pursuing Tie Fighters and disappeared into hyperspace back the way it came in a very unfreighter like manner. “Just what sort of ship is that? Capture desirable to investigate operating systems.”

“Nothing in our records, the transponder was for a small obsolete freighter originating on Grnatz. Should be two kilo-tonne with two sublight drives of moderate thrust. That one now shows the signature of a Corvette with three big drives, two smaller drives, at least, four ion cannon and eight lasers all in action simultaneously,” The I.O reported, “Data now is consistent with a Corvette.”

. . .

Back at the Yella Terra; Killa was watching the scene unfold on the screen.

One Corvette didn’t believe the red field and fired a laser cannon at the Yella, and the ship’s accumulators whined as the Firebrand shield absorbed the energy with the offending Corvette's gun disappeared in a searing flash. Humph immediately bled the excess energy off lighting the firmament with coruscating effect. A couple of Tie Fighters didn’t get the message and joined their comrade.

“Oh dear, I don’t think we will be getting that invitation to the next Governor’s ball,” Humph said over the intercom.

The remaining Tie Fighters and Corvettes fired missiles which Humph picked off with his laser cannon. All the while accelerating to hyper jump speed, once at critical distance Humph engaged hyperdrive, and the pursuing force disappeared off the screen.

“Solo would be impressed, thanks, Humph,” Killa commented and asked his passenger, "Okay there young fellow?

“Yes, most exciting, does that happen often?” Algertz asked amazed.

“That was once enough; we can’t use that ID again as all the Imperials will be hot on our trail,” Humph commented as he rejoined them in the cockpit, “It seems they are interested in you?”

“Perhaps my father left a couple of things out, he is the king of Oxz Sector as well as a head merchant, and being his first born, I am next in line. The Empire is becoming interested in our sector; so Father is worried that I may be a target for hostage taking,” Algertz explained.

“I remember now, the crew and rescue team held your Great Grandfather in great esteem, I had wondered why they were so generous with the spaceship data,” Humph mused.

“Yes, you are considered a hero for the whole sector. I never expected actually to meet you,” Algertz marvelled.

“We have a minor problem in that our data ID gave our real destination. We will have to sneak in,” Humph said pensively, “Can’t deviate too much as that last effort somewhat depleted the fuel reserves. It is going to take a bit longer as we have to coast when in sub-light between jumps.”

Killa asked, “One thing has been puzzling me, don’t all your people have an x sound in their name.”

“Just the boys,” Algertz replied with a cheeky grin.

“Oh, we have a princess among us?” Killa said as he looked askance at her, “Don’t think it will get you out of washing the dishes.”

“Ha, it didn’t at home either,” She replied with a challenging grin.

“Her status is why I took such drastic action; I intercepted the radio call which described her fully,” Humph explained, “Otherwise I would have been a little more discrete. Mind you, the firing on us would have been counter productive for hostage taking.”

“Perhaps throwing their men out the door irritated them and they went into Standard Operating Procedure,” Killa suggested.

“They were safe enough with the shuttle still connected,” Humph said, “Still until the missiles, we were safe enough as when the shields go down on a regular freighter, they are expected to surrender. They calibrated the laser shot for a standard freighter’s screen whereas ours are full military capital ship standard.”

. . .

Back at the Reynar, Rham ordered fuming, “Two Corvettes to shadow on the line for Kessel, not to engage. Support group to salvage survivors and repair Doom Bringer, inspection team data to my desk. Navigate the quickest route to Kessel sector for the task force, carry on.”

Rham returned to his cabin and consulted the data feeds; the early pictures showed a peculiar round build which reminded him of something. ‘Ah, the only thing like that were those Droman buildings and seagoing ships, a mob of pack-rats but low tech and planet bound.’

The data from the inspection team arrived, and the team described the occupants as AAAAA Humanoid male listed as pilot Mike Cox of Solterra and AAABA Humanoid listed as supernumerary Algertz of Grnatz. Cargo listed and verified as high-value perishable bulk and equipment, that is consistent with the load carried on small freighters.

. . .

The Yella sped through hyperspace dropping out at points occasionally to re-orientate for the next leg; emerging outside the Fwillsving system about a week later than originally planned. As the ship started the inward run, Humph announced two significant hyper pulses as military grade capital ships re-entered normal space from the direction of the Huy sector.

“Good timing, an hour earlier they could have spotted us,” He announced, “I propose we do our deceleration on the far side of the gas giant then land on Fwillsving’s moon far side. We then use the shuttle to land at the spaceport and find Roxz.”

By the time the Yella had rendezvoused with the moon, further hyper pulses had heralded the balance of the Imperial task force inbound. “Time to go now before they have the blockade formed,” Humph declared, “They will be looking for two humans, one blue and one white, I believe disguise is warranted.”

“How about Wookys, no one in their right mind mucks around with them,” Killa suggested.

“Where would you get the disguises there is nothing on the manifest or storage?” Algertz asked.

“Perhaps you could demonstrate Humph?” Killa suggested.

“Good as done,” Humph said as he thinned down with the excess splitting into two mounds of gel. Replacing the teddy bear was Chawbaya’s twin; one of the gel portions flowed onto the pilot’s chair and formed a blob.

Killa strolled over picked this up and held the blob over his head, as he did the gel now flowed over him covering from head to foot then the fur lengthened into hair all over. Killa now was a Wooky, if somewhat shorter and lighter than Humph's effort. “I have done this before, and with my relatively high voice, I can be a girl Wooky as I can speak the language at the same pitch as a female. Your turn, you will look like a Wooky teenager, perhaps a shy one who doesn't talk much, as there isn't enough time to train you,” Killa explained.

“Yes, if there is no problem breathing and I don’t like the idea of covering my eyes,” Algertz considered. But copying Killa went through the covering process.

“Good I can still see,” She exclaimed.

“Shy, remember,” Killa advised, and laughed as Algertz made a zipper motion to her lips, then added wryly, “If we had been fully briefed on your status and the likelihood of being searched for, this trick would have saved the drama.”

“Huugughhg uuhghhgh aaaahnr,” Killa said, “Now we load up with Wooky weapons and backpacks. Even kids go armed in Wooky polite society.”

“Huuguughhg uughghhgh aaaaahnr,” Humph corrected.

Killa laughed and suggested, “A bit high pitched for Chawbaya.” Killa added. “You will need an audiovoder.”

Humph did so picking up the required bows and a blaster each while adding the audiovoder on a neck collar.

“Raaaaahhgh huurh uughghhgh wrrhwrwwhw,” Humph said, sounding a dead ringer of Chawbaya.

They moved to the shuttle deck and manned the controls. The shuttle was eased out, and the doors swung shut behind, the bulk of Humph being still in control of the Yella Terra.

Humph guided the shuttle to skim around the moon surface until they reached the settlement’s spaceport on the moon; then engaging system drive Killa traversed from the moon orbit and entered the atmosphere of Fwillsving. Arriving at the spaceport, Killa landed the shuttle in a parking bay; then the trio wandered off to the customs office and handed over their data sticks for examination. Wookys are not expected to be able to pronounce Basic; however, written answers were deemed acceptable. The customs cleared the shuttle; then the trio proceeded towards Roxz office first using the computer to announce the imminent arrival of 3 Wookys with a package.

As they entered Roxz walked over and greeted them politely as one should with Wookys, “Welcome gentle souls, how may my lowly establishment assist you.”

“Hi Uncle Roxz it’s me Algertz,” She announced in a whisper.

“Well, I‘ll be a monkey’s uncle, where have you been?” Roxz exclaimed loudly.

His office staff nearly died of fright and made ready to bolt for safer spots; that is one thing you just don’t say to Wookys.

Using the tablet Killa wrote: - We had better keep our fur on, Imperials are about to flood the place with troopers, so we have to stay in character, “Ruh gwyaaaag,” Killa announcing that they were friends.

Roxz tapped his ear then nodded, “You are indeed with friends, fair Wookys. What cargo would you have me receive?”

Killa wrote: - ship hidden, have a list of consignments. Have to wait for the Imperials to leave. Our documents describe us as Kiltatha, Dewchit and Rorykam merchants, (Pointing at each in turn as he wrote the names.)

Sorry had run in with them, they are not very happy and are looking for the package.

Expect trouble for yourself if your relationship was known.

Reading this Roxz commented wryly, “It is so wonderful that you bring exciting times. I suppose you need somewhere to stay? There is my summer residence in the hills that should keep you comfortable and has plenty of trees to make you feel at home.”

Killa cleared the previous and added: - How kind of you, difficult to get there?

'It is easy if you know the way,' Roxz answered, 'I will take you there myself, perhaps my wife should come and act as host.'

Killa wrote: - Should cover all eventualities. Can the staff handle the shop while you are away?

'If they want to keep their jobs they will,”

'Roxz glared at the hapless sales team.