Read Online Annihilation (Star Force Series) by B. V. Larson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: B. V. Larson
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ignore her words.
But I found that I couldn’t. She could be right. This could be one last trick, designed to cause us to absorb the blow of a thousand missiles, letting them get in even closer before igniting the sky with the light of a million suns.
“Divert your missiles and they won’t be destroyed,” I told the Crustaceans.
I switched to the command override channel a second later:
“Commanders, gunners, this is Colonel Riggs. Cease firing on any missile that is not directly targeting your vessel. That is an order. I’m attempting to negotiate a cease-fire.”
The point-defense lasers that had been chattering steadily for several minutes slowed, then came to stop. The sound reminded me of the final beats of a dying drum.
Next, I opened the channel to both my people and the Crustaceans. “This is Colonel Kyle Riggs. If one of those missiles gets through, just one, and destroys a Star Force ship, I want every ship in the fleet to bomb your preassigned civilian targets. That is an order.”
There were thirty-one seconds left. No one said anything to me as the clock ticked down. I had time to wonder how many Star Force personnel I’d just gotten killed by trusting the Crustaceans one last time.
-7-
For the most part, the crews obeyed my orders. They stopped firing on missiles that weren’t a direct threat to their own ships. This was possibly the biggest risk I’d taken. Not all my ships were able to defend themselves against incoming missiles. The gunboats in particular were vulnerable to this type of weapon. The cruisers and destroyers had numerous point-defense systems, which were essentially automated laser turrets controlled by brainboxes with their own sensors. Normally, these larger ships had the job of screening the smaller ones. But today, I’d ordered them to turn off that screen to comply with the deal I’d made with the Crustaceans.
I couldn’t even watch as the two lines converged on my screen. A shower of red splinters met with my ragged row of ships.
But there were no hits, no explosions. The missiles diverted themselves or simply sputtered out and drifted. They sailed away from our fleet, falling into a broad orbit over Yale.
Within a few minutes everyone on my staff was sighing with relief and a few were high-fiving one another. I guess they felt happy just to be alive. My own mood was much darker. I was angry with these aliens who’d tricked us and then turned the trick into some kind of test. I felt I’d been toyed with, and that the Crustaceans were playing a deadly game with countless lives for their own strange amusement.
My ships flew past the moon and scattered. When I was sure none of the missiles were following us, I ordered Marvin to reopen the channel. I wanted to talk to these crazy shellfish personally. I wanted to know what the hell they thought they were doing.
“Channel open,” Marvin said.
“Hello, are you listening, Crustaceans? This is Colonel Kyle Riggs, commander of all Star Force and Earth’s representative in this system.”
“We’re listening. We’ve always been listening. Your every statement and action since our first encounter has been weighed and judged.”
“That’s great. Who am I talking to? Please identify yourself.”
“This is Professor Hoon.”
“Professor?” I asked. I’d been expecting something more like a governor or an admiral. But I had to remind myself that these people valued an academic structure more than anything else.
“Yes. In addition to teaching at the highest levels, I’ve been a Principle Investigator in many ontological—”
“Yeah, that’s great,” I said. “No need to give me your full resume, Hoon. Let’s talk seriously for a moment. Did you realize as our ships approached Yale that we were coming on a mission to render aid to your people?”
“Of course. I’m afraid I’m going to have to lower your cognitive score by an additional 1.5 points. Your question was poorly worded and worse, it
But I found that I couldn’t. She could be right. This could be one last trick, designed to cause us to absorb the blow of a thousand missiles, letting them get in even closer before igniting the sky with the light of a million suns.
“Divert your missiles and they won’t be destroyed,” I told the Crustaceans.
I switched to the command override channel a second later:
“Commanders, gunners, this is Colonel Riggs. Cease firing on any missile that is not directly targeting your vessel. That is an order. I’m attempting to negotiate a cease-fire.”
The point-defense lasers that had been chattering steadily for several minutes slowed, then came to stop. The sound reminded me of the final beats of a dying drum.
Next, I opened the channel to both my people and the Crustaceans. “This is Colonel Kyle Riggs. If one of those missiles gets through, just one, and destroys a Star Force ship, I want every ship in the fleet to bomb your preassigned civilian targets. That is an order.”
There were thirty-one seconds left. No one said anything to me as the clock ticked down. I had time to wonder how many Star Force personnel I’d just gotten killed by trusting the Crustaceans one last time.
-7-
For the most part, the crews obeyed my orders. They stopped firing on missiles that weren’t a direct threat to their own ships. This was possibly the biggest risk I’d taken. Not all my ships were able to defend themselves against incoming missiles. The gunboats in particular were vulnerable to this type of weapon. The cruisers and destroyers had numerous point-defense systems, which were essentially automated laser turrets controlled by brainboxes with their own sensors. Normally, these larger ships had the job of screening the smaller ones. But today, I’d ordered them to turn off that screen to comply with the deal I’d made with the Crustaceans.
I couldn’t even watch as the two lines converged on my screen. A shower of red splinters met with my ragged row of ships.
But there were no hits, no explosions. The missiles diverted themselves or simply sputtered out and drifted. They sailed away from our fleet, falling into a broad orbit over Yale.
Within a few minutes everyone on my staff was sighing with relief and a few were high-fiving one another. I guess they felt happy just to be alive. My own mood was much darker. I was angry with these aliens who’d tricked us and then turned the trick into some kind of test. I felt I’d been toyed with, and that the Crustaceans were playing a deadly game with countless lives for their own strange amusement.
My ships flew past the moon and scattered. When I was sure none of the missiles were following us, I ordered Marvin to reopen the channel. I wanted to talk to these crazy shellfish personally. I wanted to know what the hell they thought they were doing.
“Channel open,” Marvin said.
“Hello, are you listening, Crustaceans? This is Colonel Kyle Riggs, commander of all Star Force and Earth’s representative in this system.”
“We’re listening. We’ve always been listening. Your every statement and action since our first encounter has been weighed and judged.”
“That’s great. Who am I talking to? Please identify yourself.”
“This is Professor Hoon.”
“Professor?” I asked. I’d been expecting something more like a governor or an admiral. But I had to remind myself that these people valued an academic structure more than anything else.
“Yes. In addition to teaching at the highest levels, I’ve been a Principle Investigator in many ontological—”
“Yeah, that’s great,” I said. “No need to give me your full resume, Hoon. Let’s talk seriously for a moment. Did you realize as our ships approached Yale that we were coming on a mission to render aid to your people?”
“Of course. I’m afraid I’m going to have to lower your cognitive score by an additional 1.5 points. Your question was poorly worded and worse, it
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