A Fury Of Aces: Crystal Venom Part 2

The plan was to drop ten Intel drones around the area, within a one-kilometre radius of the battle site. Nautical Meteorological had advised them earlier that the area in question had been relatively quiet at the original battle time, although, with two of the planet's moons in conjunction, the tidal flows would peak six hours after they had arrived in the vicinity, which would mean unpredictable high waves. Everyone was now constantly watching their own instruments and keeping an eye on the Intel feeds as well. They scanned the entire area, found nothing, recovered the drones in sequence, stepped out another kilometre and did it all over again, and again and again.

They had covered a rather large chunk of water. It was midafternoon, the ocean was now very lumpy with the huge tidal s.h.i.+fts and Marko, for one, was getting rather annoyed about still being in combat gear. It was really good kit, but it was designed to keep them alive, not necessarily comfortable. So, as always it seemed, the excitement started when they were ready to go to sleep with Fritz yelling, 'Contact, contact, fifteen degrees starboard, seven hundred and fifty metres, depth eighty-five metres, sea mount; anomaly is present on top of the sea-mount, considerable aquatic-life activity around it.'

Count on Fritz to be correct in his language most of the time, Jan mused, and it was always good for the monitors.

'Seal up, combat protocols! Stand-off at five hundred metres,' the major responded. 'Recover, refuel and redeploy drones.'

Fritz, totally immersed in his numerous data feeds, reported again: 'Drone six destroyed, sir, drones five and seven under attack. Same as the octopoids in configuration, but ma.s.sing twenty-five to thirty-five kilograms, and a few up to the one-hundred-kilogram mark.'

'OK, let's climb to fifteen metres and take the speed up to two hundred, co-pilot. If any surface targets are acquired, Staff Jan Wester, you are cleared to engage.'

'Acknowledged, Major.'

'Anomaly moving towards the centre of our orbit. Surmise that it is the Gjomvik Submersible, as it is trying to communicate with this craft,' Fritz called out.

From the co-pilot's chair, Harry asked, 'Method?'

'Long-wave acoustic. Comms buoy away.'

The major nodded his approval. 'Acknowledge the signal. Is it human or AI?'

'Feels human, sir,' Fritz replied. 'Female Germanic accented. Unusual for an AI.'

'Right, Fritz, standard parley protocol.'

'No acknowledgment, sir, but it's still moving, being intensely attacked. It must be a very tough piece of kit.'

On a side screen Marko watched the visual feeds from the submerged drones, fascinated as hundreds of squid-like creatures zoomed up out of the depths to engage each drone. The controlling computers on board Mudshark and the small computers in each of the drones tried every defensive tactic available to them, from firing tiny short-range high-speed torpedoes into the larger octopoids, to tumbling into the ma.s.ses of smaller ones to suck the creatures into the twin, side-mounted, shrouded propellers, to lasering the eyes of the creatures with intense ultraviolet light, or high-speed ramming. But the numbers of octopoids just kept increasing, slowly wearing the tough little drones down.

The major went to his main weapons expert. 'Harry, quick idea?'

'Well, if that sub is tough enough to withstand those critters, it could probably survive smart depth charges, sir.'

The major gave a curt nod. 'Fritz, flash her the specs of what's coming down the chute, advise her we are trying to help.'

The seconds ticked past before Fritz spoke. 'She acknowledges, sir, but is being very rude about it. Says she has some missiles left and if she goes down, we will as well.'

The major shrugged. 'Fire the squibs. Watch for missile launch. Deploy craft Orbital countermeasures. Marko, get the drones to clear the blast area.'

They could feel the thumps on the outer hull as the packages of mini-explosive squibs were fired from their mortars. Harry had suggested, before they put to sea, that they would be perfect for the octopoids. Dozens of the fist-sized directional grenades, each with a pair of high-speed water jets attached, sprayed out to circle and sink around Fritz's 'anomaly', the mercenary sub.

Marko could see the aerial missile countermeasures drones start to circle Mudshark, as Mudshark itself continued to orbit above the ocean waves with the sub at its centre. The drones s.p.a.ced out so that any three of them could see each quadrant around Mudshark. The teardrop-shaped lifting bodies had stubby wings, carried six short-range micro-missiles each, plus a small powerful pulse laser, with a comms system that created a swarm mentality between them.

The submerged drones moved at full speed out of the blast area but he noted that two were very slow. 'Five and Seven appear to be damaged. They will probably not make it. Replacements on standby.'

The rail guns started firing as targets were acquired around the comms buoy. Fritz saw how close the octopoids were to the buoy so he brought another one online, then held it in the launch mortar tube on standby.

Fritz took down all communications a fraction of a second before the squibs' detonation and then brought them up again just as the comms buoy was destroyed by a ricochet with a howling screech erupting from all their headphones. With his ears ringing, Marko advised, 'Drones Five and Seven destroyed, replacements away. Reserve down to five. Aerial drones reconfigured for water surface operations if required. New comms buoy in position in thirty seconds.'

The major growled. 'OK. Jan, watch that shooting, we only have one other comms bouy in reserve!'

Jan yelled back. 'Sorry, the round bounced off a large octopoid which was on an intercept with us. It is no longer.'

The major resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder at her, looking down at his screens instead, only to see more of the creatures rising to the churning sea surface. 'd.a.m.n! Increase speed to max, height to max. I wonder if these things can launch themselves out of the water? Jig and jive, Harry!'

b.u.g.g.e.r, Marko thought, as he always hated that movement. He loaded a motion-sickness package into his bloodstream from his bioware as Jan yelled again: 'Sir, we have octopoids, big b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, landing on the rear housings! So, yes, they most definitely can launch themselves from the water! They are ripping the covers off the AG units!'

's.h.i.+t! Jan, deal with them as best you can; I am releasing the AI proxies to your control.'

Seconds later Marko saw the t.i.tanium-clad proxies appear on each side of the rear deck, firing slow-speed big-calibre gel rounds at the octopoids. As the gel rounds. .h.i.t, they ripped away great lumps of flesh and gristle, injuring the main body parts of the creatures so that they slumped and slid off the casings into the sea below.

Marko's system warnings were starting to go off as his hearing recovered. 'We have critical damage. Port-side AG unit is dropping power, sir; down nine per cent and falling. I have compensated. Coolant levels are also down; if we can get it, we need additional fuel water.'

'Do the best you can, Marko, I will not risk sucking some of those critters into the water tanks.'

'Understood. I have maxed the atmospheric collection,' Marko said, as Fritz interrupted.

'Gjomvik pilot says she is going to surface, then eject. At her current speed she will surface in five minutes. Says she is covered in the octopoids, with a very large one trying to drag her back down. She has a major problem with her propulsion system. Says she is going to go for a rapid surfacing and try to get clear as her craft hits the surface. Gutsy!'

'Fritz, kamikaze the nearest drone into that big octopoid!'

'On it!'

The closest drone peeled in towards the slowly surfacing submarine and accelerated to its maximum speed, driving itself deeply into the giant squid-like creature before collapsing its tiny antimatter core containment, with the resulting explosion shredding the creature into dozens of pieces. The submarine accelerated upwards, no longer being held back, although smaller creatures still attempted to intercept it, as the major barked out, 'Glint, get to the Manta. I will open the main hangar door so you can launch the Harpoon. Do this right, people, and we will get the pilot and the sub.' They all nodded as he added: 'Fritz, get the specs on the sub's ejection pod. Tell her she will not survive if she goes into the ocean with those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds down there. We are going to have to go for an aerial recovery.'

Fritz spoke while his fingers flew in a blur over three separate touch panels. 'Acknowledged; have the info. Pod is basic teardrop configuration of 1200mm diameter, 3200mm long. Has a small antigravity unit capable of sustaining the pod at ten metres up for three hours.'

'Good. Fritz, put two of the airborne drones on the surface to act as backup comms links.' The units instantly decelerated and dropped down onto the water, watching for the ascending sub.

Fritz counted down. 'Two minutes to surface on my count. Stand by, stand by, five, four, three, two, one, mark! I have the emergence point, as indicated on screens.'

The major took control and swung Mudshark in a hard banking turn, which it was probably never designed to do, then deployed the main air brakes, dropping the speed to one hundred kilometres per hour as he yelled out, 'Jan, everything you have across the emergence point, please. Door coming open; hang on everyone - this is going to be interesting. As soon as you get a target, Glint, fire!'

Mudshark was pitching, rolling and yawing in an alarming fas.h.i.+on. The major and Harry, even with the aid of the computers and the AIs, were barely maintaining control of the craft as they approached the emergence spot at speed. Between them they were all furiously compensating for the now-open front hangar door and ramp and the constantly moving turrets of the rail guns. Jan timed it perfectly, halting fire and switching targets just as the Gjomvik one-man sub erupted out of the water, rising a full four metres or so from the surface with another large octopoid clinging to its stern.

The Harpoon flashed across the rapidly closing s.p.a.ce between them and the sub, as the ejection system ripped the entire front cone, housing the c.o.c.kpit, off the wasp-shaped machine, and blasted it into the air. Simultaneously, something - and Marko could only presume it was Glint - engaged the largest octopoid on the remains of the sub as it started to splash back onto the surface. The entire head portion of the creature disintegrated and the thought flashed through his head: That's some very efficient s.h.i.+t in action!

The major hauled the nose of the protesting Mudshark high into the air, following the ejection pod, as two large octopoids exploded through the ocean's surface, seizing onto the pod. An instant later the entire a.s.semblage of pod and octopoids smashed in through the open hangar doors to crash hard against the left side of the enclosure, shoving Mudshark hard to port.

Marko's control panel was going berserk. The ammunition power feed onto the starboard guns had become intermittent and Jan was yelling in his ear to get it back online; the ramp hydraulics were jammed solid as linear gun rounds from Glint blew the remains of an octopoid right through it. The starboard main propulsion was rapidly going offline with small octopoids slithering into its air intakes and causing it to rapidly drop thrust, slewing the whole craft sideways as the port-side thruster tried to keep forward speed. Marko cut power to it and ramped up the centre thruster to one hundred and ten per cent.

The port-side AG unit was also failing, further dropping them dangerously towards a rollover point as the major, who was h.e.l.l bent on legging it out of the area, poured on the power. They had a flash message from Fritz that he had the sub under his command and had it making best speed full astern, away from the area. Marko overrode the major's command protocols and lowered the front c.o.c.kpit as best as he could to try and tidy up the airflow, and at the same time Harry was overriding Jan's control of the guns, hauling them back towards the body of the craft.

The sea, twelve metres below them, was a boiling confusion of small octopoids trying to launch themselves on board; the countermeasure orbiting sentries destroyed most of them but dozens still made it onto the s.h.i.+p. As Marko glanced into the side monitor to see what was happening in the hangar, it appeared to be complete bedlam. Glint seemed to be trying to shoot the remaining large octopoid in the head, without destroying whatever was in line of sight behind it. The octopoid seemed more determined to get at the sub's pilot, with the engineering proxy arriving to try to get to her first and protect her.

Marko shunted all the remaining hydraulics into getting the guns snug against the s.h.i.+p's body again as the starboard ammo feed failed completely. He equalised the power to the starboard AG unit and fired up the main hover fans as their craft sank closer to the surface. The major was yelling at Base for immediate air support, and if possible bombardment from the Orbitals. The Games Board were, of course, countering the requests, citing that the crew's predicament made for really good AV. The Games Board monitors seemed to be smiling at everything, to say nothing of the bandwidth they were hogging while they uploaded the action.

The Intel AI proxy had disappeared from the rear deck as there were no more larger octopoids to engage and seconds later Marko watched as it powered out of the hangar with the now battered octopoid in tow and Glint still attached, dragonlike, biting deeply down into its head. The octopoid was flung sideways into their slipstream as an obviously protesting Glint was unceremoniously seized by a leg and dragged off the creature by the proxy who, with its full flight systems engaged, looked like an avenging angel towing the devil's own hound. The sight obviously delighted the Games Board monitors as one of them actually laughed, something Marko had heard only very rarely.

Marko's control board was, if anything, getting worse. The port-side weapon was no longer moving towards the body of their s.h.i.+p. Jan was still engaging as many targets as possible with it, including some rather nice shooting blowing the smaller alien creatures off the housings of Mudshark. He was trying to get the starboard ammo feed sorted while balancing the craft at the same time, but it was no use. They still had a dangerous list to port, and at their current speed there was no way they could make a safe transition to full hovercraft surface mode. The only good thing was that fewer octopoids were presenting themselves on the surface.

Marko made his a.s.sessments. 'Boss, we have to lose the port-side gun a.s.sembly. Starboard one is offline, although the Tech AI says he needs five minutes to sort it with Glint's help, and requests Flint as well. In four minutes we will impact the surface anyway.'

The major, who was still wrestling with the controls, barked out, 'Lose it!'

Jan yelled in response. 'Give me five seconds, Marko!'

She fed commands to the pod and stopped the ammo feeds as Marko engaged and then fired the cut-away charges when she nodded at him, the whole a.s.sembly dropping and spinning away to clip the port outer thruster with the resulting bang felt right through the s.h.i.+p. The craft now rolled until it was only a few degrees off the horizontal.

'Rigged for surface operations, pilot,' Marko said.

'Stand by, stand by, gun pod detonation in five seconds,' Jan called.

The major smiled, thinking what an excellent crew he had. 'OK Jan, nice work, that will sort out some of those b.l.o.o.d.y things at least.'

The sea hundreds of metres behind them suddenly heaved as the rail guns were deliberately electronically overloaded some twenty metres down under the water.

'Transitioning to surface. What can you give me, Marko?'

'Basically full hover, sir. The fuel feeds can now be augmented with the sea water. Will be a dirty oxygen/hydrogen catalytic cracking, but considering we will be with friendlies soon, I hope, the converters will hold out. I can now also cool the port-side AG unit and hopefully get that back online. Best speed in our current state is seventy-five kilometres per hour. Glint reports that the starboard ammo feeds have been further damaged by small octopoids. They may be able to get one single gun operational within fifteen minutes.'

The major nodded and turned to Jan. 'Status?'

'The surviving probes have either been recovered, or are covering the Gjomvik sub. The pilot has been identified as Squadron Leader Eva Marks. Intel considers her an important capture, as she is a senior member of Leopard Strike and is their Intel a.n.a.lyst. She is currently in sick bay, unconscious. The octopoid came very close to killing her. She is stabilised but needs major reconstruction work on her skull and upper body.

'We are down to having thirty per cent functional craft Orbital sentries. Most other weapons are expended. The AI proxies are both functioning, but seriously damaged, and Glint has lost part of his tail. The proxies and Glint are removing the last of the octopoids remains. So if we go up against anything over the next eighty-five standard minutes we have very little to fight with.'

The major gave her a smile. 'Please a.s.sist with octopoid removal, thanks, Staff. Good work. Fritz, what have you got to add?'

The little man was still totally immersed in his systems but, as they watched, one of his slim hands reached up inside the dome surrounding his head to scratch his hairless pate.

'Primary communications are fine, but the main aerials are damaged. It seems that the octopoids target all communications gear. Secondary comms links are down, although the Games Board systems are still at one hundred per cent. Gjomvik sub is making twenty kilometres per hour and the octopoids are no longer showing any interest in it. We have a surface escort meeting us in one hour. I shall cannibalise some of the damaged gear and get us one good working aerial at least.'

'Good. Thank you, Technical Sergeant van Vinken. Sergeant Major Stevens?'

'Yeah, right. This thing is only just hanging together, but we will get home, I am sure.'

The crew smiled, knowing that Harry loathed having to say anything when on camera. Jan moved around, checking for anything and everything and doing her best mother duck impression by asking if anyone needed a drink. Then she disappeared aft with her pistol in hand.

One of the Games Board monitors arrived back at Marko's station. 'May I ask your views of this action, Sergeant Major?'

'Certainly. Well, on balance I would say we did rather well. Nothing broken that cannot be repaired, although we lost a percentage of our capabilities. Most interesting craft this, and certainly built tough. The AI proxies are a bit bent and I note that our junior crew member ACE, Sergeant Glint, has lost a part of his tail, probably by stabbing it into the mouth of an octopoid, but they are the only casualties.'

The monitor nodded with great enthusiasm. 'Yes! Our local viewers are already commenting on his most excellent abilities in a fight and, yes, you are quite right, he did use his tail as a stabbing weapon. Most impressive. He has been awarded an additional bonus in that after he had his tail damaged he seemed to become even more tenacious in attempting to bite the alien creature's head off, or just tear it apart. You must be very proud of him.'

Marko did not know if he should shake his head or nod in agreement so did neither. 'I'm pleased about his actions, although I must admit that I'm not pleased about him trying to chew on the octopoid's brain while flying over a very deep ocean. He would have taken months to get home if he had gone into the sea.'

'Indeed, that would have been unfortunate. However, the still images of him being dragged off the alien, protesting loudly, by the Intelligence proxy are selling extremely well. Thank you, Sergeant Major Spitz.'

Marko smiled, nodded and turned back to his board as Fritz yelled: 'Contact, contact, six o'clock, suborbital, non-Administration, thirty-five kilometres above us and descending fast. Gjomvik!'

A beautifully regulated voice chimed into their on board comms system, something it should not be able to do, thought Marko, but then again it was their s.h.i.+p.

'Greetings to the Administration occupants of KA14. I thank you for retrieving my good friend and colleague Squadron Leader Marks. I hoped to find her well, but alas the medical computer tells me otherwise. I also note that you were not responsible for her injuries. I am in your debt. You are welcome to the tech that is the KA14 and the tech in the pilot's pod of the submersible.'

As whoever it was said this, Major Michael Longbow arrived in their compartment, pulled Fritz's headphones off and whispered in his ear. The major then turned and went back to the bridge of Mudshark. Fritz's fingers flew over his various keyboards and touchscreens. Marko knew something was up and hoped whatever it was, it was not detectable by Mudshark's remaining Gjomvik tech, as Fritz announced: 'Missile launch from the incoming craft! Vector is eighty kilometres to our stern. Impact in three minutes. It's very specific. It's our prize! Sorry, Intel, there is nothing we can do.'

Marko shrugged and carried on the balancing act of keeping Mudshark level and moving when the major was suddenly at his side whispering in his ear. 'Mate, find Glint, hide him in the AG unit and for f.u.c.k's sake shut him up. I do not want these p.r.i.c.ks knowing that he is here. I shall report him lost over the side. Run!'

Marko leapt out of his seat as the restraints peeled off him and ran aft, finding Glint just outside the rear hatchway sealing off his damaged tail. He grabbed him and dragged him back inside the hatch telling him what he had to do. Glint nodded, then sprinted back to the engine room and had most of the main inspection hatch cover plate nuts off before Marko arrived panting behind him. As soon as the cover was removed, Glint clambered inside. Marko slammed the hatch back on, effectively hiding him in the dampening systems built into the wall of the AG unit, and felt him leave his mind. Glint had once mentioned to him that there was an additional link between them, but Marko had never really thought about it until that moment. He arrived back at his station just as the ten-kilometre proximity warning was issued by the major who added: 'Combat alert, crew. They are going to be alongside in about seven minutes. Intel proxy, you are reminded that I am in charge of this operation; step away from the Squadron Leader now. In fact, place yourself in the open and try to learn as much as possible about their craft.'

The sleek humanoid machine responded. 'Certainly, Major.'

'Technology-Materials proxy, have you a functioning rail gun yet?'

'Unfortunately not, major.'

The major sighed. 'Stand down, then. Attempt repairs to the front hatchway, please.'

'As you wish, Major.'

Marko checked his instrument board with its multiple screens and saw that everything was pretty much the same. He had shut down the port AG unit earlier, notwithstanding it was partially functioning again, and as the starboard one was only just ticking over, while they were in hover mode he let them be. Considering his inbuilt s.h.i.+elding, Glint would have been all right in the working antigravity unit anyway but Marko wanted to be sure of the ACE's safety. He switched to one of his side screens to pick up the Games Board commentary on the approaching s.h.i.+p.

'What an exciting day it has been, folks, and here we have a most interesting and unexpected additional piece of data for you. Yes, it is an often spoken of, but rarely seen, Gjomvik craft. It is a private cruiser from the der Boltz family fleet, yes, information gained from a voice match tells me that it is captained by none other than the legendary Colonel Baron Willie der Boltz himself! As you can see, it is big, but not really, really big. However, it is certainly capable of lifting this Mudshark many times over and definitely appears long-jump interstellar capable. The fact that it is also capable of descending into an atmosphere, and indeed of operating on antigravity in this world's major gravitational well, speaks volumes of the enormous power it must possess. And, as we can see, it is beautiful, ill.u.s.trating the difference between a fis.h.i.+ng trawler and a luxury yacht. Both ply the sea, carry people and goods, but that is where the similarities end. We wonder why it has appeared here on this planet. Could it be that this planet has something that the Gjomvik Corporations would rather steal than negotiate for? And could it be that, once again, the heroic crew of Basalt has thwarted them? The Administration must be very anxious about it, but as this is an outpost base it is not well-equipped to deal with a threat such as this.'

As the beautifully streamlined and sculpted stars.h.i.+p slowed to match their speed, they could see the weapons being trained on them in ports slid open in its side. Harry complimented the major on doing the right thing and not being aggressive towards them.

'Jan, Fritz, get down to the hangar and prepare to transport our guest, please.' Harry instructed.

The hangar cameras, what remained of them, showed Jan and Fritz flanking the gurney with its inbuilt medical systems at the edge of the ramp, as a tongue-like structure descended from the stars.h.i.+p and reached across to rest firmly against the remains of the ramp supports. Harry noted that no words had been spoken about them slowing or heaving to. He concluded that the Gjomvik stars.h.i.+p must have seen the damage and known that if they stopped Mudshark it would probably not be able to get under way again. He also concluded that the Baron must still be an honourable and generous person to make such a decision as he had decided many years earlier, while doing business with him, that he liked the man.

'Major Longbow. You have an excellent crew, sir, and my special thanks to Sergeant Major Spitz. I can see you listening, Marko, my thanks. The dragon is still with us and most appreciated. Major, we would honour your inclusion in our company should you or any of your people see fit. And at the risk of sounding impolite, may I ask if you have any fresh apples on board?'

The major cleared his throat to ask, 'Who am I addressing, please?'

The voice sounded through their comms again. 'As the Games Board has rightly a.s.sumed, I am William der Boltz, Major.'

Michael Longbow looked across the displays to see heads shaking, then glanced at Harry, who also shook his head. He turned in his seat to catch the eyes of the other crew present. 'I thank you for the opportunity to work with your company, sir. I decline. My crew can make up their own minds. And, yes, I am sure that we can find you a few fresh apples from Basalt's gardens. Please accept them with our compliments.'

The crew all chorused their declines, except Fritz, who just ignored the question. Seeing that the comms link with the baron had been cut, Marko said: 'Apples! What the h.e.l.l? Now, we've all heard of the legendary Willie der Boltz, and I have even done business with him. But apples?'

Harry strode past Marko, heading for the little galley. 'Yeah, one of his only vices. That and tea. Even has his own tea plantations!'

Five minutes later the bridge crew watched as the still unconscious Eva Marks, sealed inside an AG medical unit, was manoeuvred into the hangar with a box of apples and other fresh fruit at her feet.

The baron spoke again. 'You are honourable people; my thanks to you for looking after Eva. Please place the gurney on the ramp.'

As they watched, the end of the ramp gently folded around the gurney then rapidly withdrew into the stars.h.i.+p. A few moments later it reappeared, the gurney now loaded with cases of wine and beer. The gurney was placed inside the hangar and the ramp withdrew to the Gjomvik s.h.i.+p.