Chapter 28: Convolution – Part 4
“They’re locking on weapons, opening fire.” The Excelsior shook violently under the assault. Kris forced the ship around and into the heat of fire, having no choice but to counterstrike. The mass cannons of the enemy were powerful enough to pierce the pulse deflectors and pock a hole in the starboard armor. The Excelsior shook violently as another round struck home. Kris felt a certain level of empathy with his ship. He was rather angry to have such a virgin vessel befouled and injured on her maiden voyage. Devon read the damage reports from various stations and ship’s sensors, and began to relay the information to Kris.
“No casualties reported. The cargo hold has been breached, the armor just above us was damaged by the first strike, and they shattered our left main thruster nacelle limiting our maneuverability.”
“Crush them.” Jerem said to Kris.
Kris yelped out a loud affirmative at the glory of being allowed to avenge the damage done to his vessel. The Excelsior spat hellfire at the enemy before it had even come around to strike again. Its underbelly harbored a mass cannon, and to either side were plasma cannons. The Excelsior could fire all three simultaneously and at three separate targets, as need be. In this case, Kris chose to return fire, using each cannon in succession. He did so with such accuracy that the enemy ship took all but one blast of plasma, the mass rounds tearing into the enemy without mercy. The ship’s pulse deflectors burst under the assault, and the mass cannon raked the enemy’s belly, rending holes through lattice frame and bulkhead alike. It buckled and staggered in space, a dancer with a lame knee. The enemy dragged itself out of range, and began turning carefully, keeping the distance.
Johnson opened communications and demanded an immediate and nonnegotiable surrender. Without even a parting shot, the pirate ship wobbled into twisted space, fled from sight and view, heading away. Kris, still angry about the damage done to his ship, started to give chase, willing to hunt the Pirate down and kill him.
Jerem put a gentle hand on Kris’ shoulder. “Leave the fool be. Set final coordinates to Placid. We’re in plenty good shape for the final leg, and we’ll repair the damage once we arrive.”
Having said this, Jerem sat back down and surrendered to Kris the control of the Bridge he needed to accomplish his orders. It took only a few moments for Kris to get his anger fully in check.
Susan tended to her children, who were even now making Bosh’s day a challenge. Bosh had felt it her duty to help raise the twins, once she was recovered enough to do so. Bosh was proving to be a good baby-sitter, conscientious and dutiful. And when not caring for children, she would test her skills in the Central Square. She’d come back undefeated from fights that would have been well beyond the capabilities of most Antansi citizens so new to the change. Sometimes, usually with a nose still bleeding or a lip still healing, she would return to Susan’s home and brag about her battles to the twins, who, like most children wanting to hear a good story, would hang on every word that rose from the lips of ‘Auntie Bosh.’
The twins often found her confusing, though, because Bosh was a woman of considerable depth. The same woman would sit through a play, laughing and crying. While in service to Susan, Bosh trained long and hard, learning the fighting dance of the Kimwe, learning all she could of Antansi culture and citizenry, and in regards to intelligence and courtesy she was a model citizen by many standards, but Susan could see that Antans was starting to rub on her. Bosh longed to go home, it hurt her to be away from her family, from her world, from the world that gave her so many memories. The twins were in their last accelerated growth stage before physiological maturity when Susan breached the subject with Bosh.
“How do you like Antans?” Susan asked Bosh one day, while the two were reading poetry together.
Bosh, caught off guard, took a moment to answer. “It certainly isn’t a vacation garden spot, if you know what I mean. I could live here, though, as my debt to your people requires it.”
Susan set her small book aside, taking Bosh by the hands. “I’d rather you stay just long enough to work with some of our local map makers. We need to plot out safe passages into the Triple Union, and your knowledge of geospatial mapping has not gone unnoticed.”
“I’ve no intention of leaving for a few years. The twins are still too young.”
“Another year and they’ll be out on their own, checking in with mom only when their wounds require it.” Susan said.
“Are you telling me to leave?” Bosh asked, curious about the direction of the conversation.
