Subwar
Without pause, the captain pulled his whole crew into a mind link. Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events, but they were also veterans. They reacted instantly. Ghit and Star were at their stations already and Boomer was running towards the weapon systems even as Poallo and Buc used the ship sensors to try and detect the enemy.
Torpedo came from the east. Ghit reported. Out of our range. Their ambush failed. How did you know, captain?
One of the humans' most feared weapons was an extremely long range, insanely high speed torpedo. Called supercaviation, the propulsion system on it basically turned a torpedo from a guided weapon into a rocket propelled explosive. The only good news that was that with such high speeds, guidance and proximity fuse were useless, so it required a direct impact to detonate and could not maneuver much in transit, hence the team's survival. The bad news? You had bare moments on detecting one of them to evade it before impact and the warheads were incredibly powerful, dangerous to any ship in the fleet. Many of the fleet's ships had been lost before they had taken to erratic maneuvers, shifting both directions and depths at random intervals but still they took losses from such. The humans always fired from beyond fleet ship sensor ranges. Sometimes they retreated afterwards. Sometimes they pressed attacks further.
I didn't detect it. Alice did and warned us. Everyone was confused by Poallo's grim explanation but he continued. The human I was interrogating warned us just in time. Mysteries later, survive now. Buc? He asked when the medic made a soft noise of incredulity in the mind link.
She is powering the ship. Buc said in a flat tone that had everyone pausing before returning to their duties. Whatever hit us knocked out all power except life support and she is powering us somehow. I do not know the weapon, but it has to be psionic based and she is bypassing it somehow.
Can a human do that? Came a stunned query from Star. Yes, the escort class was one of the smallest of the fleet's ships, but it was complete package. It needed a lot of power to function, hence why it had two Zrbite reactors to provide such.
No. If anything, Buc was even grimmer. The reading are clear. Neural damage is escalating. Whatever she is doing is killing her. Stunned exclamations came from all the others, but Poallo cut them off.
She is sacrificing her life for us! Poallo snarled at the others confusion, forcing them to focus on the now. How or why she is doing it is irrelevant right now. We must not waste her gift. We have enemies trying to kill us. Ghit! Evasive! Buc, help me find them! Star, ready on damage control! Boomer, weapon status?
Tubes loaded, point defense ready. The Tasoth was on firm ground now. Enemies present, ready to fight.
They must know where we are somehow. Ghit, go active! Poallo commanded and the ship reverberated as active sensors started scanning the surrounding ocean. Normally, the ship relied on speed and stealth to get to and from its missions and kept it s use of active senors minimal to avoid giving away its position. With enemies already aware of their position, stealth was moot. Speed and firepower were all they had left.
Three! East bearing nine by five! Range forty! On intercept course! Came from Ghit and Poallo fought back a curse. A raiding party. Fast and agile, the flat disk shaped human attack ships were dangerous even solo, but three to one was bad odds for anything smaller than a dreadnought, of which Poallo had none. Other returns nearby, but nothing solid. He cautioned.
Biologicals? Poallo asked as he checked his scans and fought back another curse. The enemy were splitting up, trying to bracket his ship. Such a tactic would force him to focus in multiple directions, split his point defense and limit his evasion capabilities.
Maybe. Ghit was manning the sensors as was his usual duty even while piloting the ship. With them being so shorthanded, Poallo had not assigned a dedicated helm being. A mistake he hoped he wouldn't die for.
Poallo, I can help. Came a tremulous thought from Alice! Poallo was stunned. Hadn't he cut the mental link to her? He had! So… How was she…? I can control the ship.
How? Poallo demanded as he watched the enemy ships close with his.
It is a different environment, but the ship design is like the ones I was meant to connect to. Alice groaned in pain. I don't… I don't want my brother to die… but… This is all wrong! We shouldn't be fighting each other! I can help! Please let me!
If it were just me, I would let you. Poallo admitted. But it isn't. I like you but I can't trust you, Alice.
I know. Alice said weakly and then, the ship's hull groaned and Ghit screamed.
I have lost control! The tech was frantic and then he gasped as another whine like before was heard nearby. That… That was another long range torpedo. They fired it and we had no warning time… We evaded! How did…? Who did that?
Alice, introduce yourself. Poallo said into the link and there was stunned silence and Alice gasped into that silence.
Um… Hi. I am Alice. The girl said weakly. I was built by the Elders to pilot spacecraft, but I can handle other vehicles too. I can power the ship and control it a bit but I do not know this environment.
We do. Poallo snapped. Alice, keep us alive and we will fight. Explanations later. I will try to find a way out of this ambush. Buc, monitor her status, she is all that is keeping us alive! Ghit, you are better on sensors than I am. Take over! Boomer, arm pulse torpedoes.
You trust her? Came from the Tasoth.
Do we have a choice? Came from Star and Buc!
I don't want my brother to die. Alice's voice was firmer now as Buc did something at the table but she was showing effort. Wait… That maneuver! I know that one! Weapons! Prepare to fire torpedo, heading given!
Captain? Boomer was incredulous as a firing plot appeared on the holographic viewscreen. There was nothing there!
Do what she says! If they fire all at once, we have little chance. Better to die fighting!
Boomer's mind was a mix of anger, embarrassment and fear but he did fire the torpedo. It left the ship with a clunk and hiss, speeding away on its energy based thrust, speeding away towards empty water. Just as it reached the enemy ships, though, one of them dodged away from the others, directly into the path of the torpedo! Boom. The crew cheered, but Alice gave a sob.
Oh my god! Alice gasped through tears. I just… I just killed… No… I…
Oh. Of all people the Tasoth spoke. The first time killing is always the hardest, especially for those who are not warriors. Alice, it is not your fault. They attacked us. You saved us. There is no blame in self defense.
I just killed three sentient beings and I cannot… She groaned in pain and Buc worked feverishly. I cannot keep this up. Captain, I am sorry!
Systems are coming back up! Ghit called and the captain made a quick decision.
Alice, stop what you are doing to power us, you are a pilot. The captain commanded. Pilot the ship! Let us work it.
Yes, sir. Oh god, it hurts! She tried to keep that from the others, but her pain soared through the link. Enemy moving to bracket us! I have solutions on… Torpedoes inbound! She called just as Ghit said the same.
Boomer! Point defense free! Poallo ordered and then spoke to Alice. Alice, just pilot! Let us do everything else! That will lessen the strain! Evade as you can but leave our point defense clear to engage the torpedoes.
Yes, sir. Alice acknowledged the order.
What happened next was absolutely amazing and starkly terrifying in equal measure. Vehicles moving through water did not move like those traveling through the air. Even the smallest of submarines did not do barrel rolls, so it was likely that the suddenly astonishment of the crew of Poallo's ship was matched by the enemy crews as Alice did just that with the escort! Damn, she was good! Not only did she manage to keep all the point defense aimed at the incoming ordnance throughout the whole maneuver, but she also put one of the enemies directly in front of the ship when the maneuver finished. One torpedo missed completely and the other was hit by point defense and destroyed far enough away that only a mild thump was felt. Poallo had never seen such piloting in the water or the air, and he doubted the enemy had either!
Target! Ghit called and Boomer acknowledged in the mind link.
Fire! At Poallo's command, two torpedoes flew from his ship towards the enemy craft that recognized their peril and started to evade. The other enemy was moving to a firing position, clearly stunned by Alice's insane maneuver. Anything bigger than an escort would have been ripped apart by the stresses she put on the hull, force fields or no force fields but it worked, so… He was not complaining!
Reloading! Boomer reported, on firm ground in battle as always. He was good at his job. Pity he was so insubordinate.
A groan came from everyone in the link including Alice as one of the torpedoes was intercepted by enemy point defense and detonated too far away from the target to do damage. The other impacted, but didn't destroy the enemy. It was clearly hurt from the debris that it was trailing, but it was still operational and turned to bring its weapons to bear. Both enemy craft fired torpedoes again and this time, other weapons hit their ship! Alice screamed in agony as she tried to maneuver the ship and something gave way with an ominous clank and hiss. The sub slowed despite Alice's frantic workings.
Cannon hits! Damage to drives and life support. Star called as he started work. On it!
Point defense! The captain called and Boomer acknowledged. His gunnery was superb and one torpedo blew up, but the other tracked away from the damaged submarine and blew up?
What the-? Came from everyone as both enemy ships turned and fled!
Did we launch a countermeasure? Poallo asked. That the only thing that might divert an enemy torpedo, but he hadn't thought of it in the close run fight. They were not very effective at such short ranges and he only had two of them aboard.
No. Ghit's mind voice held terror. We didn't.
Poallo felt faint as the sensors showed a horror appear nearby. The white boogeyman sub Hammerhead wasn't targeting Poallo's ship though! No! It was targeting the Enemy! It fired something that barely registered on sensors and the damaged enemy was cut in half. One half sank, the other blew up. The other ship fled, but a torpedo tore out of the white ship and took bare seconds to cross the distance. Whatever that torpedo packed, it was more powerful than anything Poallo had. That enemy ship disintegrated. No other words did the sudden field of tiny debris justice. He understood now why no one had faced that ship and lived. They outclassed his ship in every way. There was only one choice that led to any kind of survival.
Boomer. Deactivate our weapons. The captain said very slowly as the Hammerhead came about and moved towards his ship. And no backtalk! If they wanted us dead, we would be. Alice, stop. Whatever you are doing, stop.
Hurts... Alice said weakly on the link.
Leave the link. Poallo said sharply as Alice's mind weakened further. Let Buc tend you!
I can't. Alice was both weaker and apologetic. There was utter silence in the mind link and then Buc cursed and started working faster. I am sorry, but it was the only way. I can't leave the link. It is hardwired now. I... I deserve this. To die in agony.
What? Came from everyone.
I am evil. I killed… Alice was crying now. I didn't want to. But they would have killed us all. My brother, me, all of you. Why? She begged. I didn't want to be evil!
You are not evil, Alice. Again, the Tasoth spoke up and Poallo was too stunned by his sympathetic voice to protest. I am. You are not. Do not argue with me. He declared as Alice started to protest and she shut up. Killing does not make one evil unless they revel in it as I do. I am evil. A necessary evil, but an evil. Do not compare yourself to me. That is downright insulting. That was more like the Boomer Poallo knew.
Captain… Ghit was all but stammering as the Hammerhead came to a stop almost directly ahead of their ship and just sat there. The ship was at least twice the size of theirs. Two yawning black spaces showed on its wings. Torpedo tubes or something worse? What are they waiting for?
They are waiting for me to die. I can deactivate the weapon they used to disable the ship. Alice said in a monotone. So they won't bother until I am dead. Then they will disable you, board this ship and take my brother and my body back. They may or may not kill you all, but they will take me and him back. It won't be long. I can feel my life ebbing.
I refuse to accept that! Buc snapped and Alice groaned as the medic did something. You just saved us! Let me at least try to save you!
You cannot. You do not have the means or the expertise. Alice was sobbing quietly now as Buc continued to work feverishly. If I were home, things would be different, but I am not.
Home. Poallo sent to Buc who paused and then nodded.
What? NO! Alice screamed and then her mind cut out as the stasis field generator built into the table activated. She would not deteriorate further in that field, but that freed the other prisoner.
ALICE! The scream from the pod where her brother was ensconced was louder than a torpedo hit. He as restrained in the pod, but he was fighting the restraints and blood was falling as he tried to get free. What have you done to my sister?
She just saved our lives. Poallo said firmly to the furious human. We are trying to save hers!
I don't BELIEVE- The boy broke off and stopped struggling. When he spoke again it was hushed, scared. Oh… Oh no… Matron, I… I... Yes. Yes, Ma'am.
He held out his palms in the restraints and energy pored from them to coalesce in front of his pod into the form of a holographic Viper. Said Viper was extremely unhappy.
"Give me one good reason I should not have your ship disabled, boarded and all of you killed." The Viper said aloud without preamble in fluent Gill Man language! She wasn't present, but her rage was felt nonetheless. "I had no quarrel with you Deep Dwellers. Now we have a quarrel." Her gaze swept over Poallo and he felt fear the likes of which had had rarely felt as this incredibly powerful psi glared at him. As powerful as he was, she was like staring at a star! "You. You are in command. Speak. Now." Before Poallo could speak, Buc stepped forward, drawing the Viper's eye and ire. "I am not talking to you."
"I am the team medic." Buc met the furious Viper's gaze with a calm that he was sure she didn't feel. The mind link had faded under the Viper's raw power. "The responsibility is mine. I put Alice into stasis. Do with me what you will."
"Buc." Poallo warned, but the Viper glowed a hint of purple and he desisted as the snake woman eyed Buc.
"Alice did what she did." The Viper who had still not introduced herself said slowly. "She did it to save herself and her brother from the war you thrust them into. You had no right to do that. She was a true innocent and I felt her pain even from here when you made her kill."
"The human made her own choice." Boomer retorted as he stepped into view, Star and Gith at his side. "A brave choice, but one we did not push her into."
"And the combat you tossed her into had no part of that?" The Viper hissed back, still furious. "If you had simply asked for whatever information you took from her like civilized beings, we would have been happy to help. She sent me a data dump of what she had seen and done. You are at war, I get that. With who, I don't know. I have never seen craft like that before outside of entertainment videos. Honestly? I don't care who you fight, why, where or when until and unless you involve my family. You did." She looked at the stasis field and her face fell. "You did and it has killed my daughter."
"She is not dead." Buc said softly.
"The backlash from her imperfect link killed her the moment she deactivated the dampener." The Viper retorted, fury rising again. "She fought through the pain to save your miserable lives. I begged her not to. To let us rescue her. She defied me. She said we were being pushed into this by a third party. Perhaps we are, but I find I do not care much. You will surrender my daughter's body and my son." That was not a suggestion.
"She cannot be saved?" Buc asked, soft and sad.
"You have no means of-" The Viper broke off as Buc reached into her gear and produced the glowing green egg she had shown the captain earlier. She showed it to the Viper even as the rest of the crew looked confused and Captain Poallo tensed. "Do you know that is?" The Viper asked, slow and careful.
"No." Buc admitted. "It is an heirloom of my family. Family tales say it can help make new Gill Men. I have carried it since my family were slaughtered and my instincts say I can do what my family believed, but I know nothing more of it."
"It can do that and so much worse." The Viper and Buc might have been alone in the bay. "That is a genetic manipulator. A device the likes of which the Elders used to create my kind and alter my adopted children into the horrors they were just freed from. So many evils made possible by such devices. So much loss, pain and fear." Chris bowed his head at the sheer pain in the Viper's voice.
"Can it save Alice?" Buc pressed.
"Perhaps." The Viper sounded as if she was pulling teeth to admit that. "Or it might turn her into a horror that makes Calcinites and Tentaculats pale." At that, everyone in the bay except the human recoiled. They remembered the Old Masters' terror weapons. "I know of very few who would have the skill to use such safely. You do not." That was not a question, but Buc shook her head anyway.
"No." Buc agreed. "But Alice is alive for the moment. Whatever we have done is done. Right, wrong or indifferent, she saved our lives from that attack. We owe her. I owe her. If you will not find in your heart to try and save her, I will."
Everyone stilled as the Viper was suddenly glowing bright purple. When the snake woman spoke again, it as it was as if all the cold of the deep and all the fires of religious texts spoke through her calm, clear words. Terrifying!
"You did not just say that to me." The Viper hissed, a deep and dangerous sound. Her hologram moved to right in front of Buc who gamely stood her ground as the snake woman's crest flared and her fangs dropped down, dripping with poison. "You who walked into my house, assaulted my guests and kidnapped my kids! You did not just say that." She might not have been physically present, but her wrath was! Her psionically charged rage was literally melting the deck underneath her hologram!
"We have done what we have done." Buc swallowed hard, but met the Viper's furious gaze. "We believed you the same enemy as has been attacking us for yahren. Are you?"
"No." That came from Chris and all of the others in the room turned to look at the pod he was still encased in. He looked from Buc to the furious Viper and spoke softly. "Matron… if there is even a chance for Alice..."
"Could you use this?" Buc asked, holding up the glowing egg.
"No." The Viper replied, staring at Chris. "I cannot manipulate that."
"Do you know any who could?" Buc pressed. "We owe her! Both for the harm done to her and for her saving us all!"
"And she will be a powerful weapon if you can turn her to your service, willing or no." The Viper sneered. "Don't even try to argue that."
"Buc!" Poallo interjected and Buc retreated from the hologram, the egg vanishing back into her gear. "You have a valid complaint against us. We acknowledge that. We need information. Thousands of lives ride on my getting that information."
"You could have just asked." The Viper and the still bound human chorused, derisive.
"Really?" Poallo inquired, just as derisively. "We could just walk up and ask surface dwellers and Advent slaves or former slaves about T'Leth?"
At that name, the hologram stilled. She turned to the pod where her son was ensconced. He nodded to her and she vanished! Everyone stared at each other and then paused as the image of the Hammerhead on the screen wavered and vanished! Some kind of incredibly advanced stealth.
"Um... What?" Star asked for everyone.
"She will be in touch." Chris said from his pod. "Is there any way I can get out of here and not instantly drown? I need the facilities."