The battleship had a two huge landing bays on the rear. Each
was more than enough space for the carriers to land. Toll realized he had no
clue how this giant bio computer was even supposed to be installed into the
ship, and it was far beyond time to ask anyone now, especially considering that
he had no reason to know other than his own general curiosity.
With the carriers landed Toll had ten ships to patrol the
area for possible threats. The first thing they did was check the far side of
the battle station, it didn’t do much to put Toll at ease but there were no
ships, no sign of battle damage, nothing at all out of the ordinary. They made
their way back around the rear launch bay in time to see the bio computer being
led out of the bay by what had to be a hundred or more people in spacesuits.
Toll could see a large access hatch opening on the underside of the ship, just
ahead of the landing bays. The computer was led by its handlers down below the ship
and into the access hatch. Toll watched as the computer was moved fully into
its space in the ship. Over a third of the space suited wranglers made their
way back to the landing bay. Toll and the rest of the team continued to fly
back and forth as they touched down in groups of ten on the landing bay.
As the last group of the suited assistants touched their
feet to the floor of the landing bay. The hard doors started to descend. Toll
counted to three but didn’t see any intercom activity. He opened a channel. “Corporate
asset six five alpha nine zero tango, the rear landing bay doors are closing
with our people inside, please discontinue landing bay lock up sequence.” Toll
stopped his fighter and watched as the doors continued to close. He switched
channels. “Rusty we need stop those doors coming down or this entire plan goes
to crap.”
“Already on it, you’ll excuse the delay, I’ve never even
looked at this ship’s code before so it’s a bit harder to stop the doors than
you think.” Rusty shouted back at him.
Toll switched back over to the channel he had open to the
battleship. “Corporate asset nine zero tango those doors are getting a might
restrictive, what’s going on there on the bridge?”
With the doors half closed a voice responded to Toll.
“This ship is now the property of the Laborite Corporation.
You’re people are trespassing on private property and will work off the debt
they owe for their transgressions through the maximum allowed labor charge.”
Toll clipped his mask on and readied his flight combat
systems. “Like hell they will.” He switched over to his squad channel. “Rejects,
we need to keep those doors open long enough to get out people off that ship,
shoot for metal breach only, lasers only kids, we don’t want to harm the
forcefield in case there’s anyone in there that isn’t in a suit.”
Smart guy popped into the channel. “Hey boss the bottom
doors are closing too.” Toll reoriented his ship to line of site the insertion
doors. “Split off escorts stay with the command and control ships everyone else
with me.” As he and the other six ships moved to break the insertion doors a
fleet of Laborite battle cruisers came in at maximum drive and slowed to attack
speeds unleashing what had to be fifty to sixty fighters. “Ok rejects we’ve
still got two minutes to show time, make every shot count!”
Toll closed off his open channels and opened one to Connor. “This
turned into a cluster in a hurry, tell me you are out of the insertion area.”
He said, watching the first of his missiles head for the closing insertion bay
doors.
“I am not, why?” Connor asked cool as a cucumber.
“Because they are closing your insertion bay doors, the
landing bay door’s we just got notice that the Laborite Corporation has claimed
the ship and a laborite battle fleet is on our doorstep with at least five
squadrons of ships coming our way.” The middle looked to be a direct hit on the
closing mechanism but did not stop it.
“Is someone shooting at us yet?” that was me, we’re trying
to stop the doors without breaching the force fields.” Toll explained launching
a second missile.
“Let them close Toll, I’m no good in this situation anywhere
but here and if this gets worse we’re going to need this computer installed and
fully functional. With the doors closed at least we’re safe. You just keep the
rest of our people alive.” Connor instructed. Toll flipped the kill switch on
his launched missile and it exploded harmlessly in the middle of nowhere.
“You’re the boss, boss.” He replied.
“Stay safe out there.” Connor added.
