The Dead Fleet (Juggernaut #3)

Fifty Six

'Sir, they're turning back.'

The cabal flight leader smiled to himself when he saw the two ships turn and flee. Their configuration was unknown, but it didn't matter. Their orders were to kill everything. So what if a couple of pirates had scored themselves something better than the usual flying buckets? They were going to die all the same.

The two blips on his scanner dived toward the safety of the dead fleet. The blue fuzz of the fleet was ready to swallow them. They thought they were safe, but they were just two ships. Where could they hide?

The squadron he led numbered more than twenty fighters. Yes, it was overkill, but their mission was clear - leave no-one alive. Whatever the Cabal wanted with this place in the past they were done with it now. No loose ends.

No one who could talk.

'You have your orders. Pursue and eliminate. No survivors.'

'Yes, sir.'

* * * * *

The Valkyries roared.

Ellie edged ahead of Malachi. More used to the stresses of a high-G manoeuvre she had turned harder and faster.

Malachi completed his turn and levelled out. He checked his scanner. Behind them, the cabal fighters had begun to tighten their formation. Their goal had changed. Obstruction was no longer their target. Malachi had a sickening feeling that he and Ellie were the new targets.

Malachi followed Ellie's lead as the agent squadron raced closer.

* * * * *

The cabal squadron commander settled comfortably into his seat. Their targets were almost within range. With the firepower at his fingertips and under his command this would be too easy. Still, he was a professional and took nothing for granted.

'Form up. Ready weapons.'

His thumb flicked the control to bring weapons online. His console showed the ready status of each of the ships under his command change from green to red.

Weapons armed.

'Acquire targets.'

* * * * *

A warning buzzed in Malachi's cockpit

'Mal, what was that?'

Malachi studied the new alert. Weapon lock. Malachi's heart raced. 'They're going to shoot us, get ready to—'

'Not that, that!'

Confused, Malachi looked up. Something moved at the edge of the fleet. He checked his scanner. The fuzzy boundary line of the fleet was moving. A blip appeared at the periphery of the fleet, and it was moving toward them. A second blip emerged from the fuzzy perimeter, chasing the first. Then a third. Then two more. Then half a dozen.

'Oh, come on!'

* * * * *

'Sir, I have new targets on scope.'

'Threat analysis?'

'High. Multiple ships inbound. All appear armed. Weapons primed.'

'Understood. All ships, designate new threat as primary target.'

'Confirmed.'

'Fire at will.'

* * * * *

The pirates opened fire first. Stubby weapons lit up the space between them and the Valkyries.

Ellie and Malachi twisted and dived through the assault.

'Hold on!' cried Ellie.

The cabal force responded in kind and opened fire on the pirate ships, their first quarry forgotten in light of this new attack. Deadly energy weapons and laser blasts criss-crossed the night around Ellie and Malachi. Flashes of light from the weapons brightened the cockpits of the Valkyries. Pirate fighters glowed red behind their weapons fire. Cabal forces glowed blue.

The Cabal squadron were professional combat pilots. Better trained, better equipped, better armed. They found their targets first. Pirate ships blossomed into fireballs one after another, throwing deadly shrapnel and fuel explosions in the paths of the Valkyries.

Weaving through the middle of it all at breakneck speed were Ellie and Malachi, for a moment, the only two ships not being fired upon. The only two ships unarmed.

In a flash the Valkyries were through the pirate line and broke the perimeter of the fleet for a third time as they dived back into the maze.

'Now what?' shouted Ellie.

'I don't know! This was your plan.'

'It seemed like a good idea at the time, okay?'

'Okay, okay. So, new plan? We find another way out the fleet make a second run for the beacon?'

'What about Tila? Can we warn her?'

'We don't have any way to contact her. She's on her own.'

'She's not on her own. She has her mother.'