Part 20
Fox took off and scouted the surrounding area for a few minutes before telling Fara it was safe. She slowly brought the ship to full power and hovered briefly over the ruined factory. The vibrations from the transport's thrusters shook the crumbling structures, knocking bits of concrete and steel loose and dropping them to onto the hangar floor below. Fara took a moment to check the transport's directional thrusters before pointing the lumbering ship skyward, even at full power the transport struggled to gain altitude.
"The ship's overloaded." Fara said. "It's going to be difficult to get out of the atmosphere like this."
"We'll make it." Jack said. "We've got the right pilot at the controls."
"Fara." Fox's voice sounded over the communicator. "There's three CDF fighters coming out of the station and heading toward the planet." Fara didn't respond to Fox, instead she throttled the transport forward and began gaining speed.
"Fara, what are you doing?" Fox asked.
"I can't climb, the ship's too heavy." She replied. "I'm going to try and follow the curve of the planet and use its gravity to help build some speed, then we can get out of the atmosphere."
"You're going to have to go all the way around the planet to get back to the station."
"It's either that or sit here and let them shoot us down. Fox, Just see if you can get them to follow you, maybe they haven't picked us up on their scanners."
"I'll see what I can do. Be careful Fara."
"You too Fox." As Fox went off to intercept the fighters, Fara continued to climb out of MacBeth's dusty atmosphere, slowly gaining altitude until they finally reached the vacuum of space. Free from the drag of the planet's atmosphere, the transport began to build speed and circle back toward the station where Fox was attempting to catch the attention of the small squadron of CDF fighters. As the transport approached, the fighters turned away from Fox and sped toward it.
"They're turning away." Fox yelled into the communicator. "Without weapons, I can't keep them on me." Fara tried to evade the incoming laser fire, rolling to the left and right, but the bulky transport was slow to react and unable to stay out of the CDF fighter's sights for more than a few seconds.
"Jack!" Fara yelled. "I could really use a gunner!" Jack stood in the doorway to the cockpit with one arm braced against the door frame and his free hand covering his mouth. He stepped back for a moment then reappeared wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"What's wrong with him?" Dr. Tydic asked.
"He gets sick easily. He can't handle the motions of the ship." Fara said. Dr. Tydic motioned Jack over before rummaging through the bag he had brought on board. He pulled out a small vial of translucent blue liquid, a small vial of red liquid and a small injector, he carefully combined the two vials and placed the mixture into the injector before unloading the device's contents into Jack's arm.
"That should ease your stomach." Tydic said. After a few moments, Jack uncovered his mouth and looked at the Doctor.
"Thank you Doctor, and here I thought you didn't like me." Jack said.
"I don't." Tydic replied. "But I don't want to die today and those fighters aren't going away on their own."
Jack sat down at the console behind the cockpit and took control of the transport's turret. He began firing whenever the fighters tried to come up from the underside of the ship, the pilots quickly adapted their attack pattern to stay out of the turret's range. Jack stood up and kicked the console in disgust before walking back into the cockpit.
"What are you doing?" Fara yelled. "Shoot them down!"
"I can't, they're coming in from above the ship and the turret only points down." Jack said, pointing at the transport's scanner. The CDF fighters were circling above the transport and diving in from above while firing their weapons.
"Get back on the turret, I've got an idea." Fara said. When Jack said he was ready, Fara cut the engines and let the ship drift for a moment then rolled the ship so the underside faced the incoming fighters.
"Fire away." Fara yelled to Jack who responded by opening fire on the Cornerian ships. After each pass the fighters would attempt to approach the ship a different direction and Fara would have to roll the transport around so Jack could fire at them.
"Good call Fara. I told you we had the right..." Jack was interrupted by a loud pop followed by the sound of metal pieces hitting the hull of the transport as the interior lights dimmed and flickered briefly before returning to normal. The console he was sitting at went dark before erupting into a shower of sparks and fire.
"What was that?" Fara said.
"The turret's broke." Jack replied as he walked up behind Fara.
"What do you mean the turret's broke?"
"I push the button and nothing happens. The turret's broke."
"Now what do we do? We don't have the shields to make it to the station."
"We're out of the atmosphere, I think I can get us out of here." Jack told Fara before reaching for her headpiece, he began removing the pieces Norman had installed.
"Jack!" Fara screamed. "Stop it!"
"Like I said, I'm getting us out of here." He replied as he sat back in the cockpit doorway and began to tinker with the pieces. "These parts attached to your headpiece are for an emergency transmitter."
"Why didn't you say that earlier?"
"We needed to get off the planet and out of the atmosphere first. I had to make sure we're in position to get a good signal." Jack told Fara. "It's only good for one use, after that it melts down. Tydic, could you scan the local communication channels? I'm looking for ones with static."
"I can try." Dr. Tydic replied. "Wouldn't it be better if she did it?" Fara was doing all she could to dodge the CDF fighters that were still firing away at the transport. Fox had arrived to try and draw their fire but they ignored him and continued to pound away at the transport's shields which were depleting rapidly.
"She's busy keeping us alive. Hurry, find a channel with static and turn up the volume, let me know if you hear a faint beeping sound. Keep scanning until you find a channel with a beeping sound embedded in the static. Fara, just try and buy us some more time, do whatever you have to."
"I'm trying." Fara said under labored breath. "I can't get away from them."
"You're doing fine." Jack told Fara. "We'll be out of here in a minute."
"I think I found it." Tydic said, handing Jack the copilot's headset. "It's very faint, but it's there."
Jack took the headset and listened to the tone, he nodded, put the transmitter up to the headset's microphone, and pressed the single button on the unit. The transmitter let out a tone that varied between a chirping and a loud buzzing sound before going silent and erupting in a cloud of smoke. After a few moments, a jump portal opened nearby and Fara made a run for it, shifting the transport so ship's armored underside faced the Cornerians and letting the ship's inertia carry it into the portal. The transport's shields were completely depleted and it had taken heavy damage from the CDF fighters, though Fara seemed unaware of the flashing lights on the ship's console. In the bottleneck of the portal, Fox was finally able to put himself between the transport and the Cornerian fighters and continued to block their laser blasts with his ship. As the transport exited the portal, several human fighters covered the transport and engaged the CDF. The Cornerians withdrew back through the portal almost immediately with a few of the human ships right behind them. The humans returned moments later with the portal closing behind them. The human ships began towing the damaged transport toward a nearby carrier with Fox following in the shuttle.
"What just happened?" Fara asked.
"You saved us." Jack said, patting Fara on the shoulder. "Good move keeping the transport's armor toward the Cornerians, that bought us the time we needed."
"Where's Fox? Is he alright?"
"He's fine. He's right behind us." Jack replied.
"How did they find us so quickly?" Dr. Tydic asked.
"We keep jump probes anchored in every system where we operate." Jack told him. "They're how we're able to open portals near planets, moons, or other anomalies in space. We can open a portal anywhere, but to get near an object in space requires some kind of anchoring point. The jump probes can communicate with any HSF ship within their signal range so in an emergency, like a hull rupture or life support failure, help can be brought in quickly. The device I used is an emergency transmitter that broadcasts a rescue signal to a nearby jump probe which then calls on the nearest ship to open a portal near us."
"And that ship is?"
"The carrier Ardennes." Jack replied. "She's currently the largest ship stationed in this region. You'll be getting a very close look at her, Doctor."
When the transport docked with the Ardennes the crew escorted Fox, Fara, Jack, the prisoners, and Dr. Waytus to the ship's infirmary to be looked over. Each of the prisoners had a new limb installed before being released to the crew quarters, Dr. Waytus was confined to a holding cell in the ship's brig, Jack was being treated for dehydration and released for debriefing, he insisted Miri's body remain on the ship and be returned to Corneria as soon as possible. Fox and Fara were waiting together in one of the exam rooms, surveying their surroundings. The exam room was cramped with only enough room for a couple of chairs, an exam table, a small wash basin and row of cabinets. Fara finally broke the silence.
"Better pilot huh?"
"I couldn't keep their attention without weapons." Fox told her. "They were circling too fast to intercept and I had to dodge fire from that turret on your ship."
"Jack was on the turret, I don't think he was shooting at you on purpose."
"No, he wasn't shooting at me, I was trying to get in front of the fighters as he was trying to shoot them down. It wasn't until they knocked out the turret that I could get between them and you without being shot at from two directions."
"We're all safe, that's what matters."
"Yeah, it's a shame about Miri though." Fox said, shaking his head.
"Was she someone special?" Fara asked.
"I don't know, from what Krystal told me, she was at one time."
"He was pretty upset, you could see it when he picked her up. He tried to cover it up the whole time we were down there."
"It didn't stop him from killing Dr. Waytus, Krystal said he was a good shot."
"Krystal." Fara grumbled. Their conversation was cut short when Jack and a human doctor walked in. The human doctor was tall, thin, and casually dressed, the only indication she was a doctor was the stethoscope around her neck.
"We're fine thank you." Fox told the doctor. "Someone has already been in to check us out."
"That's not why I'm here." The human doctor said. "I'm Dr. Arista Harrington, chief medical officer on the Ardennes. I'm here to look at your friend's attachment."
"My headpiece?" Fara said as she looked at the Doctor before turning to Jack. "You're going to help me get this off?"
"Unless you don't want it off." Jack said. "It's your head."
"After what I heard on MacBeth, I want it off." Fara said, touching her headpiece.
"Dr. Harrington's going to take you down for some tests, they shouldn't take too long. In the meantime, Admiral Miller wanted to talk to Fox, we'll meet you back here after we're done."
"Admiral Miller is here?" Fara asked. "I met her while I was waiting for you to wake up."
"Yes, this is the flagship in this region." Jack told Fara. "If she's not here, she's on Io station. I'll tell her you said hello."
"Thanks Jack." Fara said as she followed Dr. Harrington out of the room. Jack led Fox out of the medical bay and toward the ship's bridge, several times Fox tried to ask Jack about Thorin and Krystal and each time Jack told him to wait until after their briefing with the Admiral. Fox and Jack reached a door guarded by two human soldiers who stood at attention as they approached, the door opened and both soldiers gestured for them to go inside. Inside the room, Admiral Miller sat at the end of a long table lined with well padded chairs on either side, Fox and Jack took the two chairs nearest the Admiral and sat down.
"Gentlemen." The Admiral greeted them with a smile. "I'm glad to see you made it back to us Orion."
"I had help." Jack replied looking at Fox.
"Indeed you did." The Admiral said. "Mr. or should I say Captain McCloud, well done getting those people out of that terrible place. I'll make sure you're well compensated for your efforts."
"Thank you, Admiral." Fox said. "Captain?"
"Yes." The Admiral replied. "You were made captain of the Prospect in Mr. Robert's absence, so the title stays with you until he's fit for duty again."
"Oh." Fox said.
"I don't plan on being down for very long." Jack said.
"Stay out of combat for a few days." The Admiral told Jack. "That's an order."
"Yes Admiral."
"To the matter at hand gentlemen." The Admiral began. "We've been looking over the information you brought back on the Cornerians new project. They paint a dire picture for our operations out here."
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"The Cornerians are building a ship from the wreckage of a very large carrier that was destroyed several years ago, they've rebuilt the ship into some kind of artillery platform that fires the standard Cornerian interplanetary ballistic missile into an accelerator gate similar to the one that orbits Corneria, but on a smaller scale."
"So they're trying to duplicate a capital ship size accelerator weapon?"
"Not exactly, in order for their gate to accelerate an object, that object must be moving as it enters. So they're using the missile's propulsion as a substitute for our accelerator technology. The missile is launched from the back of the ship, travels forward into the accelerator gate at the ship's bow, and is launched into a small jump portal held open at the end of the gate. The missile is accelerated to near light speed and can exit the portal nearly on top of its target."
"Where did the Cornerians get the jump portal technology?"
"We don't know for sure, but it seems our friends at Interstellar Iridium have been in contact with the Cornerians for some time, even hiring local mercenaries to hijack the transports entering the system and to attempt to fight a proxy war with us inside Lylat. They have jump portal technology, but it doesn't have the range or the stability of own."
"There's no doubt who the local mercenaries are." Jack said.
"There are several groups, not just the one you've encountered. It's not a stretch to assume..."
"They've kidnapped one of our team members." Fox interrupted.
"Fox." Jack said. "I thought we were going to talk about this later."
"Who was taken?" The Admiral asked. "Aside from Jack, I had not heard of anyone else being taken."
"She left us Admiral." Jack replied. "She wasn't part of our team at the time she was taken."
"It was Krystal, Admiral." Fox said. "She was kidnapped by Wolf and taken to a place called Thorin."
"Thorin?" Replied the Admiral. "That's a long way from Lylat. Are you sure she was taken there?"
"That's what Miri told me." Fox hesitated a moment then looked at Jack. "Before she was killed."
"Who is Krystal?"
"Krystal is a Cerinian, Admiral." Jack said.
"We're protecting the Cerinians while we try to rebuild their planet and population. We're obligated to recover every surviving member of their species to bolster their gene pool. Though given the location of this one, I'll let you decide a course of action. If you decide to go after Krystal, do so quickly and be extremely careful, Thorin is a dangerous planet made more dangerous by the armed conflict on its surface. The situation here is going to deteriorate once that ship is operational, we can't let the Cornerians fire that weapon, even for a test. The Cornerians could hit us anywhere without warning and a missile that size traveling that fast would pierce even a capital ship's shields and embed itself in the hull. Soft targets like Io station could be destroyed in a single attack."
"How long before it's ready?"
"We don't know that either. Based on what the information we have, the ship is roughly 75% complete. I think the Cornerians are taking their time to avoid attracting attention.
"I thought we were getting along with the Cornerians."
"We are." The Admiral replied. "The crew on this ship has several Cornerians and they're all over Io station now. They've integrated with our society very well and we believe it's only a matter of time before their government accepts our offer for membership in the HSF. Once that happens, we will willingly share our technology with them. They have no reason abduct people the way they have and no reason to build a weapons platform like Saruzin."
"Is there a chance it's not the Cornerians doing these things?" Fox asked. "I know the CDF and they would never provoke a conflict like this."
"All our sources say no." Admiral Miller replied. "But I promise you we'll keep searching for answers and take them to the Cornerian ambassador before we act. We don't want to start another war in Lylat." Fox got up from the table and began walking out of the room, he stopped at the doorway and spoke.
"Please do Admiral. Working with your people has been a great experience so far, but if a conflict starts, I'll have to defend Corneria."