THE ABERDEEN INCIDENT

Scene 40

If possible, the Forward Torpedo Bay was even busier than the bridge.  Kane stood off to the side and wiped the sweat from his brow as the troops - mostly young, inexperienced, wet-behind-the-ears kids - participated in one of the most pitched battles in recent memory.  Certainly, it was the fiercest confrontation Kane had ever witnessed.

The Sergeant was relaying information into a comlink he wore around his neck.  Kane knew the up-to-the-second information was being piped to the bridge and utilized to update their situation as it unfolded, but that didn't make him feel any better about what he heard.

Tightly gripping the duffel bag that hung over his shoulder, Kane leaned into catch the conversations from the bridge that were being broadcast back to the Sergeant's station.

The voices sounded terse and frantic, but the exchanges were as professional as the combat allowed.

"Lidar, get a fix on those fucking fighters!"

"Multiple targets coming within locking range now, Sir!"

"Helm, prepare to jump!  Get us out of here!  Move out to twelve thousand klicks and turn us around!" 

"Aye, aye, Sir!"

"Captain, Engineering reports a jump in the thermodynamic discharge couplers!  The Chief wants to know if he should vent the extra plasma?" Kane could tell Wozencroft was nervous.

"Immediately!  Tell him to blow the whole load!  That might screw with their sensors and buy us a little time.  Tactical, go to auto defenses and prepare another salvo for the main convoy!"

"Aye, aye, Sir!"

"Captain, damage control teams estimate twenty percent penetration!  Hull breaches on Decks 4, 7, 11, and 13!  Teams are in place but are requesting more help!"

"Send every available man to assist!  Estimate amount of oxygen loss and seal bulkheads aft and fore!"

"Bulkheads already sealed, Captain!  Data on oxygen loss is still being collated!  I will post immediately, Sir!"

"Sir, defense systems enabled!  Torpedoes armed and ready, mines set for ejection and disruptors will be online momentarily!"

"Engineering, give us hyperdrive now!"

Kane felt the slight nudge of leaving normal space.  The sensation lasted longer than their previous jumps but still accounted for no more than five seconds.  He felt the inertial dampening system kick in and gravity return to normal about the same time as he detected the thrusters turning the Aberdeen on its axis.

They were in position to press the attack on the main body of the Elosian armada.

"Fire torpedoes 1 through 6!"

"Firing 1 through 6, Sir!  Torpedoes away!"

"Confirm target package!"

"Target package confirmed, Sir!"

"Status?"

"Torpedoes 1, 2, and 3 have acquired target!  Four through six are signaling a no-lock!  Check that... Torpedoes 4 through 6 are confirmed locked, Sir!"

"Estimated time our friends will make our position?"

"Three to four minutes, Sir!  Lidar indicates nine fighters heading our direction with another five...check that...six coming in at 45 degrees off parallel!"

"Good for them!  When they acquire us, make another jump!  This time, go in close!  Take us nose to nose with that carrier!  I want us no more than a thousand klicks off their bow!"

"Aye, aye, Sir!"

"Tactical, you've got at least three minutes to rip them a new asshole!  Make the best of it!"

Kane smiled in spite of himself.  The Captain was indeed a good combat strategist, even gutsy by Corp standards.  While unorthodox, his plan seemed to be straightforward and effective.  He had managed to draw out from the main convoy the largest portion of the tiny fighter crafts.  By jumping to various points around the main battlegroup and allowing time for the fighters to come to their position, then jumping to the other side and allowing another group of fighters to catch up, he had effectively split their forces in two.  Next, the Captain planned to get in cl