The Red Frontier: Wrath of the Vanquished

Chapter 16: Red Alert

"Captain, I'm detecting an approaching vessel, heading 2100, approaching our starboard bow." He said, twisting around in his seat.

Ward suddenly became more alert, a look of grave concern gripping his visage. "Lusaka, give me visual and scan on the approaching ship."

"Acknowledged." The ship A.I sounded. "Scanning incoming vessel."

The large screen at the front of the ship changed its display, changing from cycling numbers to show the black and starry void of space. Zooming in, a fully-rendered image of the oncoming ship was revealed to James. It was a ramshackle, rickety-looking hunk of metal, angular and disparate, its rivets smeared with rust. But it bore several tell-tale features; multiple naval gun turrets of various calibres, jet-black plasma burns painted across the hull, and the engines rhythmically rising and falling in power.

The ship looked in a very poor way. Just as its designers had intended, no doubt.

"Vessel is 156 metres by 71 metres by 65. Corvette dimensions. Equipped with third generation plasma thrusters and a fast-acting wormhole synthesiser. Armaments: extensive. Class: undetermined."

"Captain, they're sounding a distress signal," said Lieutenant Bowden, the Lusaka's red-haired communications officer.

"Ignore them, sir." James butted in. "I'd know this tactic anywhere." Every eye in the room gazed at him. "That's a Cartel ship."

Captain Ward looked at him and nodded, but everyone else looked confused. "How can you be sure?" Moore asked aloud.

"Because I ran raids like this when I was undercover with them." James stated, looking the Janusan dead in his dark eyes. "They'll wait for us to let our guard down, then their friends will show up and blast us apart."

Ping-ping. Ping-ping. Ping-ping-ping.

Another signature flared up on the radar. Another ship of similar size, heading straight for the Lusaka. And then, from within the mineral rings of Vishnu, another craft came surging forth, turning towards the frigate's rear as it approached from behind.
"I rest my case..." James announced out loud.

Captain Ward wasted no time with a response. "Red alert! All hands brace for evasive manoeuvres. Tactical, arm weapons and prepare bulkheads." He leant forward and pressed his hands together, narrowing his eyes. "Let's give these bastards something to think about..."

The ship's alarm continued to shriek; its sound punctuated by the frantic tapping of fingers and the A.I incessantly repeating "We are under attack! This is not a drill!". The main screen zoomed out away from the Cartel ship, showing the Lusaka's exterior. James flipped several switches on his desk, and the thundering sound of moving machinery echoed through the ship. On his display, a net of flickering lights all switched to a single colour - green.

"Weapons armed and online, Captain" he raised his voice over the alarm.

"Very good." Ward said, leaning over his desk and pressing the PA switch. "This is the captain speaking. All hands, put on your helmets and activate your oxygen supplies. Prepare for ship to depressurise."

The tapping of fingers was suddenly replaced by a clutter of rattling and fumbling as everyone reached down to their sides and unclipping their helmets from their belts, gripping tightly to keep them from floating away in the zero-g environ. James did the same, unhooking the headpiece and lifting it over his head. As the transparent visor slid downwards, it misted up slightly, only to clear when James used his PDA to switch on his back-mounted respiration tanks.

Unlike the piece of junk that he wore back in the Cartel, this helmet had an electronic HUD which showed his body's G's, his suit's condition, and how much oxygen he had left. Navy standard-issue, state-of-the-art human tech.