Destiny's Blood

Chapter 21

"Tachyonic shields forming!” Ardin reported, relief obvious in his voice as the familiar blue energies cushioned the Destiny. The tunnel was just a few seconds away. Another volley struck them from behind. Avienne was grateful the shields and titanium shells protecting the engines seemed to be holding.

The Mirial fleet was composed of old and mismatched vessels, some of them trading vessels outfitted with crude weapons. They might not have been much to look at, but they certainly seemed efficient. The government fleet was losing ships rapidly, their soldiers either drunk or inexperienced at real combat, and few had broken off to pursue the Destiny. Still, they would hardly be alone entering the tunnel.

“At least ten of those government ships are raising their tachyonic shields as well,” Avienne reported. Blue light flickered around them as they rode the high energy tachyon particles. She made a quick inventory of the weapons she could see on the ships. There were basic energy weapons, which could do a lot of damage, but her main worry was the plasma weapons. One hit from those and the whole tunnel would collapse, with them in it. Well-trained Solariers wouldn’t fire that weapon in here. She hoped the Three Fates would intervene if the enemy’s training failed.

“Our sensors are down, so we’ll need sight,” Cailan said from the engineering station. No one had mentioned Travan since the last hails had gone unanswered. “Try to keep your eyes away from the tachyon flow as much as possible, and the second your eyes or stomach do anything odd, report for immediate treatment. If any of you would like to leave the bridge, I will not hold it against you.”

Everyone ignored the last statement. Lang muttered something under his breath about not being paid enough for this.

“It’s beautiful,” the Berganda whispered, staring straight at the tunnel. The blue lights stroked and highlighted her green skin.

“Seizures,” Avienne said, keeping her own eyes to her console.

“Not human,” Josmere replied. Avienne saw that Layela was also staring at the tunnel, the blue in her unblinking eyes lit with the reflection of the tachyons. It was a disturbing dance of colour. Avienne forced herself to look back at her controls.

“We’re already gaining on the Meltor. Must be an older model,” Avienne added. She searched the data banks for specs to determine how best to disable her without knocking her on the walls of the tunnel or taking down her tachyonic shields. The best way to stop her, of course, would be to negotiate, but that was hardly her area of expertise. She’d let Cailan handle that, and keep searching for alternatives, just in case.

“We’ve got company!” Avienne cried. Shots ripped through the back of the Destiny. The tachyon shields held.

“Are they mad?” Lang screamed.

The comm unit flared to life, and a sharp, crisp voice intoned, “This is the civilian freighter Meltor. We are unarmed and carry only civilians. Please cease fire!”

“Mirial ships are engaging them behind us,” Avienne reported, glad for the smaller ships to keep the enemy busy. They had to concentrate on the large vessel before them.

“Contact the Meltor,” Cailan said calmly. Avienne hit a command in her console and frowned when nothing happened. Quickly, her slender hands gliding over the console, she punched in several commands, shaking her head and cursing.

“We are a freighter, with over two hundred souls on board,” the voice intoned again with the slightest edge of panic.

“Avienne?” Cailan asked. Ardin looked back at his sister.

“No good,” she reported. Her fingers moved more frantically, as if repetition could make the commands work. “Our outgoing communications are down.”