So, sitrep, Shelby 9 is selling horribly. I'm wondering if it was my choice of cover or material? Or market saturation?
I finished Jethro 10 and I am on the last book of the year, PRI4. I'm running on fumes however, we had a visit from the paramedics. (we're fine) Dad wasn't feeling well all night but bounced back once they did a check.
Book 7 is with Rea so....
Anyway.... on to the snippet!
Refugee Convoy
OO114-4, Omicron Sector, 734 years from present day.
Acting Commodore Leron Cabera was of course on hand to enter the key to trigger the bomb. The bulk freighter that had been commandeered to hold the bombs deployed the immense bomb and then backed away.
The crews of the ships watched as the bomb began its first stage deployment. It drifted clear of the massive ship into a polar orbit. Once it was settled there it began to kick out sub munitions that slowly began to spiral into the star. Once it was clear that there were no problems the ships got underway.
The small task force of 6 battered ships spent 3 days fleeing to the outer edge of the star system before the commodore sent a radio signal to trigger the final countdown on the bomb.
He had been given a small command along with his brevet promotion from lieutenant commander to commodore with a simple but ruthless order, they were to nova bomb the anchor stars of every hyperbridge in order to prevent the Xenos from returning to the ravaged sector. Not that it would do a whole hell of a lot of good he judged.
There was still a Xeno task force rampaging in the sector. Two naval task forces were supposed to nail it, but so far had failed miserably. Hundreds of star systems had been laid to waste in their attempts to kill the aliens. Both sides were popping stars or planets like candy these days. The fleet was whittled down to the bone. They were killing themselves trying to nail the bastards before the Xenos destroyed all life in the sector.
And in a moment they were going to pop another star, he thought as he looked at the camera showing the stern view. The ship’s hyperdrive was fully charged. The field was forming. He knew that they had the timing right, the gravitational sensors could see the wave of energy coming towards them.
At least this one doesn’t have any life around it, he noted. Small blessings.
He stood on the bridge as the nova bomb went off behind them in the O type star. His ship fled into hyperspace as the star went nova, tearing apart the star system behind it and flinging the contents of the star and debris far and wide.
The star had been an anchor star for a hyperbridge. With it gone the bridge would no doubt collapse. At least, that was the intent. Burning the bridge was the only strategy they had to keep the Xenos at bay. That had already been done to the Stargate in the sector.
Unfortunately, it also would prevent any friendly ships from fleeing towards them as well. There was no way to warn them either. The ansible network was down.
“This sucks,” the commodore growled as he stared at the plot. After a moment he straightened up and squared his shoulders and then nodded once. “On to the next I guess.”
“I agree sir, this sucks,” the ship’s XO said with a shake of her head.
The commodore l glanced at her image and then nodded. “Set course for the next on the list.”
“Aye aye sir.”
~~~<{[ ]}>~~~
In the OO114-4 Hyper Bridge
Captain Christina Archer was staring at the Omicron sector map, wondering where the safest place to deposit her chicks were when the ship trembled. She looked up in alarm, Fortune LV was a Mayflower XXX class titan colony ship. Ships that size didn’t just shimmy without something very bad going wrong.
“Report,” she barked as she straightened up and stood. Her back and neck bugged her but she ignored the pangs of pain.
“The hyperbridge is collapsing!” the urgent voice from the ship’s third officer said over the intercom. “Skipper we need you up here”! He said.
“On my way,” the captain said as she took off through her hatch and headed to the bridge. Fortunately it was a short jaunt. Her hand slipped into her jacket pocket and pulled out a scrunchy. She used the rubber band to tie her blond hair back in a pony tail as she got through the hatch and onto her bridge.
The ship shuddered again as she grabbed her chair. Horace turned at her arrival and jumped out of the way.
“We need to get through the wall or the bridge will collapse around us,” the navigator warned urgently from the overhead speakers.
“What will happen to us if it does?” a tech asked.
“Nothing good,” the navigator warned.
“Helm, alter course to port. Get us out of the bridge now,” the captain barked as she settled into the hot seat. “Warn all hands to brace for massive turbulence,” she ordered.
“We’ve got red lights on four node rings,” the engineering tech warned.
“It is going to get a lot worse once we hit the wall,” the helmsman muttered. “Taking her in,” she stated flatly.
“Set beacon to follow and relay. Then emergency stations people!” the captain stated firmly as she settled herself into her chair. There were some flickering lights and then a panel went down. The tech there cursed, tried to get it back up but failed. She moved over to a vacant station rather than stare at a dead board.
The captain nodded in brief approval and then she was intent on saving her ship and convoy as the walls of the hyperbridge began to collapse around them.
~~~<{[ ]}>~~~
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