Defending The Earth – Part 1

"BOĬNITE STANTSII. VSICHKI RŬTSE KŬM BOĬNITE STANTSII - PILOTI , CHOVEKA SI PISTOLET ZVEZDI!" the call from MAX went over the intercom as David and Tammy went up to the Bridge.

"Report!" David called as he was helped to sit in the Captain's seat.

"All decks report they are cleared for action" Tammy read the reports from the Weapons station. "Our main weapons grid is armed and the shields are raised. On our present course and speed we are thirteen minutes to maximum firing range for the forward weapons grid"

"Phaelon fighters have engaged the Earth vessels" MAX said.

"Can we put on more speed?" asked David.

"We are at full power now" Tammy replied. "We will be there in twelve minutes" and David shook his head and pointed at the main screen that was displaying a running update of the battle.

"By then this might be all over"

"Your point is well taken" Tammy said. "Izgrazhdaneto tova e most. Mozhesh li da napravish vremenno uvelichenie na moshtnostta na dvigatelite pod svetlina? Nie tryabva da vlyazat v bitka po-bŭrzo i ne valya kato ostana na zhivotnite"

"Iskash li da izleze s nyakoi skriti zakhranvane? Kakvo e tova? Nyakoi zle napisani nauchno-fantastichna istoriya Na pazar?" came the irritated reply and the person at the other end of the comm cut the link.

"Do I want to know what he said?" David asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I suspect not, David" Tammy smiled.

"Engine power has been increased" MAX reported. "Time to firing range is now four earth minutes"

"All fighters, prepare to launch on my order" said David. "We're going to pass right through the middle of the Phaelon formation and cause them trouble. Once the ships have broken formation, the Gunstars can launch and take out missiles and enemy fighters"

"What about us?" asked Tammy.

"We'll spin around and attack the flagship – they'll need time to recover and re-establish the chain of command which should give us time to disable them" and he looked at Tammy with a frown. "It means killing your own people, Tammy – you alright with that?"

"I promised to protect you, so I am with you until the end" the young Phaelon shrugged and turned to her task. "As your people would say, David, they signed on for this… As I have signed on with you"

"David, I am detecting a group of Earth fighters incoming. They appear to be heavily damaged, but their weapons are armed and targeting systems are active" MAX broke into the conversation.

"Do they pose a danger to us?" he asked.

"No"

"They might not realise that we're friendlies… Scan them for their communications and open a channel"

"Compliance"

"David?"

"They might not realise we're friendlies, Tammy, so we've got to talk to them" David's expression turned grim. "If your people destroy what resistance we can put up, we're going to need all the humans we can get our hands on"

"I see"

"David, I have their communications frequency"

"Open a channel, Max, and prepare hanger bays for incoming ships"

"Understood – channel open"

"Attention incoming fighters, this is the Sera. To whom am I speaking?"

"This is Captain Shane Vansen of the 58th Marine Fighter Squadron. You are ordered to surrender your ships and prepare to be boarded"

"Hi, Captain Vansen… I'm David and I'm fully human. I just thought you'd like to know that the ship you are about to attack is a very friendly vessel to take you aboard"

"That is a Phaelon ship… We're not falling for your tricks"

"You're worse than NASA" David shook his head. "Captain, this ship could wipe your fighters out of the air faster than it would take to log it in the computer banks. Your squadron is damaged, out gunned, almost out of missiles and will not last serious combat. If you land on the Sera, we can take care of your injured and put the rest of you in planes that will destroy the enemy"

"Assuming that we do, do you have Phaelons onboard?"

"Got a few, yeah, but they are mostly engineers and support staff. They're split between the engine room and manning our fighters… If you land, you can take their place and help to defend my planet"

"Let me think about this"

"Well don't take too long" David said. "Call me when you want to get onboard…" and he muted the channel. "Tammy, alert Sickbay to receive casualties on the aft hanger deck. Max, be ready to lower shields around the areas

"Vansen to Sera, we agree to your offer. Can you provide us with landing instructions please?"

"Sure, switching you to my air traffic officer" and he pointed at Tammy to let her know she was going to impersonate somebody who didn't exist.

"Max, time to weapons range?"

"We are inside weapons range now"

"Sera to the 58th – break formation… Fire in the hole. Max, lock on leading vessel and standby with the forward batteries"

"Locked on – standing by"

"Fire" and the entirety of the Sera's forward facing weapons was unleashed on the leading Phaelon cruiser – overloading their shields and gutting them from stem to stern. Electrical energy danced all over the hull as explosions ripped through the vessel and punched gaping holes that allowed glimpses of the terrible destruction inside.

"Target destroyed"

"No kidding…" David breathed. "Continue through the list of pre-programed targets and fire to destroy. If they offer to surrender or start abandoning their ships, move on to the next on the list. Bridge to Hanger Deck, you may launch your birds" and seconds later the tactical display showed small fighters taking up a defensive posture in front of Sera before moving outwards and engaging enemy fighters.

"The 58th Squadron is aboard" Tammy reported.

"Very well" said David. "Give me a hand to the Helm and then take over weapons and tactical – Max can handle the rest of the work" and he was soon at the Helm position. "I'm setting us a course directly into the middle of the Phaelon fleet"

"That is suicide" commented Tammy.

"Yeah, but I'm hoping that they think we think we've nothing to lose by doing it and break up their ranks" the human spoke as he touched controls and brought the ship about and engaged the main engines. "As we pass through the middle of them, we fire all of the weapons at once and send a broadside at point blank range"

"This is a dangerous idea" Tammy said as she helped him.

"I know, but I bet your people have had years to study and plan for this attack. They will know all of our tactics… But this will surprise them as they've never gone up against an enemy that can stand up to the toe to toe"

"David, we're entering weapons range now – Phaelon cruisers are turning to engage us. The destroyers and the Sera class vessels are continuing towards Earth" MAX spoke up.

"Continue towards primary target – have the fighters clear a path for us"

"Compliance"

"David, one of the 58th Squadron is demanding to speak to you"

"Put them on"

"I demand to speak to the Captain"

"That's me" David said.

"I would have thought somebody would been down here to help us, but all I find are the enemy"

"Those are my allies" David shook his head.

"Lies"

"Come up here and see for yourself – follow the lit up panels" David cut the link. "Max, light up some display panels with arrows showing the way here"

"Yes, David"

"David, we've got a problem" Tammy interrupted.

"What?"

"I've just scanned the Sera class ships ahead of us, and I've discovered they are more advanced then the Sera herself"

"How so?"

"They've got upgraded shields and a greater weapons capability. In addition, their hull is slightly thicker than the one we have"

"So they are stronger and tougher?"

"Yes"

"What do you suggest?"

"Concentrate all of our firepower on one small spot of a single vessel's shields – it is possible that we could create a gap that would allow for some hull damage"

"How much?"

"According to the readings, David, we would score only minor damage to the hull"

"Maybe not" Tammy said. "It would be almost impossible to crack our way through the hull and destroy the ship from the outside, but it is far easier to destroy it from the inside"

"I don't think they are going to let us simply walk in and plant a bomb" David laughed as he executed a roll to keep them out of weapons fire.

"True, but the shields in the aft section are the very weakest because they have to allow for the passage of engine exhaust from the sublight drives"

"Go on"

"If we can collapse the shields there, we could blast open the hangers for the fighters, fire missiles into them and take them out from the inside"

"Possible" MAX spoke up, "However it would take all of our weapons directed onto the target – we'd have nothing left for us to use to attack other targets"

"If only we could take out the lead ship" Tammy said. "That is the most heavily armed and shielded of them all – take that one out and the Phaelon fleet will take some time to establish a new chain of command"

"Flagship?"

"Yes, but we don't have another ship or missile capable of hitting them" but, as David executed a tight turn to port and fired weapons at the enemy Gunstars, he had a sudden flash of a memory.

"Maybe we have another option. Max?"

"Yes?"

"When we stole the Sera, you and Tammy told me about a way to gain control of ships by remote control"

"A vessel's prefix code" MAX agreed.

"Do you have them loaded into your memory?"

"Scanning… Scanning… Scanning – Confirmed, Navigator. I have the codes for the three Sera class vessels. In addition, I have discovered their names"

"Lets have them"

"The lead ship is named the Terrible with the other two designated Triumph and Turbulent"

"And you are certain that you have the prefix code for the Terrible?"

"Of course"

"Right…" David tapped the arm of his chair. "Tammy, do we have any nuclear devices left?"

"Four warheads, but we don't have the casings to launch them"

"No need to" David smiled and hauled himself up out of his chair. "Max, take the helm – Tammy the bridge is yours"

"Where are you going?" asked Tammy and David at the same time.

"To make a missile" and the hatch opened and one of the first humans David had seen for many years stepped through. "You know how to wire up a nuclear device?"

"Uh… Uh, yeah"

"Good, come with me" and David dragged the startled woman behind him.

#

After collecting the nuclear device from the nuclear magazine, David and the woman hurried down the shuddering corridor as the Sera took hit after hit. After heaving open a door, they went inside a small hanger bay that contained just a single ship – MAX's original Trimaxion drone self. With the AI sat inside the larger computer space offered by the Sera, the last few flights, few and far between, had been worked under manual control with only a rudimentary computer system left in place.

"That… That is amazing" the woman, Vansen, breathed in disbelief.

"Yeah, I thought so the first time I saw the outside" David spared a moment as he willed the hatch to shimmer open at the back. "We took a lot of damage before we stole the Sera, and we never got round to fixing it fully – not that it matters"

"Why?

"We're going to wire this nuke into the ship's systems so we can detonate and blow up the flagship. If we pull that off, Tammy and Max think it might bring Earth some much needed time"

"But how?" asked Vansen. "The Phaelon fleet has shields we can never beat"

"You ever watch Star Trek?"

"Yeah"

"Seen the Wrath of Khan?"

"Yeah, but what doe… Oh!" Vansen realised what David was meaning to do.

"You got it… When we're ready to go, Tammy is going to order the Terrible to lower her shields and open one of her bay doors. When that is done, we fly this ship inside, detonate the warhead and take down the enemy vessel. At the same time, the same orders will go out to all of the other ships that Max has the codes for – letting you lot to disable or destroy them"

"Thats insane"

"Maybe, but it is all we have left to us" David shrugged as he started to rip out panels and activate interior lights. "Otherwise, there will be no human survivors"

"They plan to wipe us out?" Vansen handed David tools as he set to work.

"That's standard Phaelon practice from what I have been told. Only Sera has a hope in hell of hurting them for the most part, and even then that's pushing it" and he flipped a switch and the floor cover to the engine bay retracted inwards. A few lights lit up the dark space below, but it was clear that the damage sustained in battle against the pirates when the trio had saved the ceremonial party had really taken its toll on MAX's original self. David could clearly see where there was a lot of fire damage, hastily patched up hull breaches and debris still littered the engine bay.

"What are you trying to do?" asked Vansen.

"Trying to get back up power working" David replied as he held various tools and used them deep inside the mass of wires. The lights came on after a few minutes followed quickly by the rest of the consoles and a couple of display screens. Vansen looked around and saw the almost complete wreck of the interior of the drone ship – wondering how the hell it had stayed together.

"What's the plan?"

"The plan I told Max and Tammy is that we fly this in on remote, but there is too much damage and too many missing and inoperative parts for that to work. What we're going to have to do is get the shields lowered, the bay doors opened and fly this in manually before detonating" David hauled himself up from the floor and started working a console before climbing out of the engine bay.

"You think she'll hold together?"

"She's torn up plenty, but she'll fly true"

"Could be bumpy"

"Always is" replied David. "Give me a hand pulling the warhead inside the ship and then we'll wire it up to the manual flight controls. If I remember rightly, the warheads have only got about a ten second fuse once its armed, so we won't have to last long once we're aboard"

"Could be the end of the pair of us" Vansen said.

"Perhaps so" shrugged David as he heaved the device into the drone ship. "Or…" he said slowly as he caught sight of the Gunstars he and Tammy had used once before and which they had reserved for themselves, "Or perhaps not" and he fished around in his pocket for a comm unit. "David to Tammy"

"Tammy here"

"Can you enter the code now?"

"Yes, but why would that be?" asked the young Phaelon.

"The drone ship is too badly damaged to fly by remote, so we're going to have to fly the thing manually. I'm hoping the Terrible might have a Gunstar or two still aboard, and if it does then we can set the warhead to detonate and jump in the Gunstar"

"They've launched all but one of their Gunstars" Tammy said after checking the readings from the sensors and scanners. "But that one shows signs of being heavily damaged through asteroid impacts"

"Can it still fly?"

"Yes, but only just"

"Can you do a start up sequence from here?"

"Only partly" came the reply.

"Okay… Be ready to lower the shields on all three vessels and to open the bay doors on the Terrible"

"Understood" Tammy said. "And David…?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful"

"I always am" and David and Vansen finished their work.

"You better take this" the Marine said, tossing David a small automatic pistol.

"What for?"

"In case we encounter the enemy" Vansen shrugged as she stood up. "Are we ready to go?" and David nodded and crossed the deck to work a console.

"Beginning start up sequence" he said. Vansen nodded and watch as the lone display screen struggled to keep to life. "I need you to tell me if it works… I'm bypassing nearly everything to just get us in space"

"Copy that"

"Oxygen control"

"Check"

"Mission computers"

"InOp"

"Master Arm switch"

"Safe"

"Inertial navigation system"

"Check"

"Bridge, this is David"

"Tammy here"

"We're good to go"

"Copy that – depressurising the bay now. David, you are clear to fly – good luck"

"Copy that, and thanks, sweetie" and David moved the craft forwards and out into space. "Wanna take her?" he asked Vansen.

"I don't think that I am qualified for this"

"Neither am I, but I'm doing the best I can. I just need you to keep her flying towards the Terrible while I keep us cloaked for as long as the jury rigging holds up"

"Whys it jury rigged?"

"It used to work the toilet"

"So we're in the shit?"

"Like the cloak"

"Hell…" Vansen took the Navigator's position and flew the drone ship towards the Phaelon flagship.

# # # # #

"Max, give me the prefix code"

"I can not"

"Why?"

"Safeguards that are hardwired into the Sera's main computer core"

"Override the protections by order of the Acting Captain"

"I can not – safeguards can not be overridden"

"Can you give me the file location?"

"Yes"

"Do it, and open a channel to all the Earth ships"

"Compliance" and the screen at the station Tammy was at showed a long file directory. "Channel is open"

"Attention all Earth vessels, this is the PNV Sera. Although this is a Phaelon vessel, we're friendlies and about to do something to change this battle. You are ordered to concentrate all possible firepower on the two flanking battleships and leave the leading vessel to us – you'll see why in a moment. Acknowledge"

"This is Captain Pellew of the HMS Indefatigable. What are you planning on doing?"

"I can't say for security reasons, Captain, but my Commander has told me to refer you to an Earth movie called Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"

"Wrath of Kh… I see, Sera, we're standing by for your signal. Indefatigable out" and one by one the remaining Earth ships of all nations involved signalled their acceptance. Tammy opened the file directory and read the code three times so she was sure.

"Max, open an encrypted data link to the three Sera class vessels opposing us"

"Link established"

"Send the following code"

"Ready"

"One Six Three Zero Nine"

"Sending… Sending… Sending… Sending… Code received and accepted. Terrible, Triumph and Turbulent are now under our control"

"Good" Tammy smiled with a predatory grin. "Via the data link, lock out the main controls on their Bridges"

"Compliance!"

"Lower the shields on the three targets"

"Compliance!"

"Sera to all ships – fire at will. Tammy to David"

"David here"

"The shields are lower on all three targets. We are opening the bay doors on the Terrible"

"Understood – pull the ship back to a safe distance and order all the ships to get their fighters clear"

"Acknowledged – again, good luck"

#

"Tammy to David"

"David here"

"The shields are lower on all three targets. We are opening the bay doors on the Terrible"

"Understood – pull the ship back to a safe distance and order all the ships to get their fighters clear"

"Acknowledged – again, good luck"

"Thanks – see you later" he turned towards Vansen. "I'll take it for the approach" and the female Marine gratefully relinquished the controls. "Get that suit on as quick as you can" he added.

"Why?"

"Because we have to get out of here, into that crippled Gunstar and out of here without re-pressurising the bay" David said. "I've managed to play around with the timing settings on the warhead which should give us an extra ten seconds"

"Twenty seconds isn't going to be much" Vansen remarked.

"Should be all we need" David shrugged. "I'll do the pre-flight to get the engines running before getting back here to start the countdown. Once its running, I'll get into the Gunstar and you can just hit the throttles at full burn"

"Hell…" Vansen cursed. "Ah well – never wanted to live forever anyway" and David brought the drone ship inside the very heart of the Terrible and settled it down on the deck. Vansen removed her pistol and covered the exit that appeared in the rear of the hull.

"Oh crap…"

"What?"

"Looks like the warhead is damaged"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning she'll detonate the moment we hit the fuse" David looked up at her, "It means that somebody has to stay behind and detonate it"

"I'm a Marine, I'll do it…"

"We're both getting off, Vansen – too many have died today"

"One more isn't going to hurt"

"Ain't happening" David said firmly. "We're on Deck 16, so there should be a transporter three decks above us"

"Transporter?"

"It's an energy device that permits the transportation of people or objects from one place to another. There is one on the Sera, but we've never been able to make it work since we took her, and we have plenty of shuttles and Gunstars to use" he flicked on his come. "Sera, this is David"

"Go ahead" Tammy replied.

"We've hit a problem – the warhead is damaged"

"Damaged?"

"I don't know how, but the moment we hit the timer it's going to default to zero and detonate. We're going up to Deck 13 to use the transporter"

"David, that system is a risk to use"

"Yeah, well I think your people might have figured a way to use it"

"You plan to detonate the warhead the moment you start to teleport?"

"No"

"Then what?"

"I plan to go shopping for spares – standby"

#

"Shopping for spares?" Tammy frowned. "Max, what does that mean?"

"I do not know" replied the AI.

"Must be an Earth thing… Damage report, please"

"Major hull breaches on Decks 1 through 17, minor hull breaches on decks 12 through 20, hull buckling on all decks, primary weapons are down, primary shield grid is offline, sublight engines have been crippled and are not responding to input, hyperlight drive is offline, some of the reactors are offline and damaged, we have partial sensor and scanner ability, there is life support failure on decks 4 through 8 and 10 through 22"

"They really battered us, didn't they?"

"Yes" MAX replied. "In addition, we have lost thirty three percent of the ability for automatic repairs to begin, another twenty percent is damaged but operational and fourteen percent is working but is not responding to commands"

"Engage automatic pilot - bring us to a complete stop. Use thrusters to keep station at this location. Concentrate automatic repairs to the forward shield grid, sublight engines and hull repairs" Tammy ordered.

"Compliance! Automatic pilot is engaged… Well, I say automatic pilot but it's really me, isn't it?" the AI muttered some curses.

"Can you scan the Terrible?" she asked.

"Not as well as I could before the impact" MAX replied.

"Keep an eye on them. If they so much as make a move or start to power up weapons, you shout it out" and Tammy entered a few commands into the Helm console before leaving the Bridge. Once through the door, she hurried down to the bay where the Gunstars that both she and David had kept back for themselves were stowed – she had to get aboard the Phaelon flagship and help David before it was too late.

A/N:

Just Part 1 of a two part fight to save and defend the planet…

This chapter includes characters from a certain single series sci-fi show that some of you must get and the idea of the prefix code is from Wrath of Khan.

Now, for some translations… As per the FOTN movie, MAX speaks in Phaelon (which is actually correct words in Bulgarian) when speaking to the Phaelons and English when talking to David and Tammy when the pair are together. When Tammy is alone with MAX on the Bridge or speaking to him through a comm system, he is still speaking the Phaelon tongue.

At the beginning, MAX is calling everybody to Battlestations and ordering the pilots to man the Gunstars

Tammy asks engineering if they can overload the reactors and get some more speed to which the person at the other end of the link asks where he is supposed to get the extra power from and that this is not some form of badly written fanfiction story!

Part 2 will be up later this month as I am going to write on some of my other stories which I have neglected to do – the titles can be found on my homepage here on FFN.

Until then, I hope you keep safe, hold the line, get drunk and live to tell the tale…

Regards

Pixel And Stephanie Forever