Major (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 5) by Jonathan P. Brazee Read Free Book Online Page A

forward to the screen as if that could better help him make out just what had happened.
    “Data!” shouted the skipper.
    “Working on it, ma’am,” the DCO shouted back, her fingers flying over her controls.
    Within moments, the screen cleared to show a wrecked carruca slamming into the side of the clipper, and sticking there, the bodies of the soldiers pinned to the outside of the ship.
    Ryck immediately realized what had happened without needing the DCO to explain it. 
    “There was a an EMP round fired from a concealed culverin.  The EMP partially disabled the carruca, and then the target employed their tractor hooks to pull the wreck and the deca and crew to the side of their ship,” the DCA said excitedly.
    “The deca?” the skipper asked.
    “Uh, I’ve got no signs of life from two in the deca, Lt Kinkelly, and Petty Officer Cheung.”
    “Ma’am?” the gunnery officer asked, fingers poised over the bright red fire button.
    “Hold off, Guns,” she said as she took in the situation.
    What the SOG had pulled off was brilliant, Ryck knew.  A clipper was a small, fast ship, used for transporting VIPs or high-value good and documents.  It was armed to protect itself from common pirates and criminals (which made its use by a pirate organization ironic), but it was not designed to fight.  And the ship’s cloaking and propulsion had been knocked out, leaving it crippled.  The pirates had managed to fire an EMP round out of a culverin, which would not be effective against a shielded ship, but was enough to damage the simple carruca.  Then, by employing their tractor beam, the “hooks,” which assisted it in docking with other vessels or station berths, it had managed to “grab” the soldiers and pin them to their hull.  The CT-83 could undoubtedly destroy the crippled ship, but at the cost of the surviving soldiers, who had now become human shields.
    Within moments, the DCO made the announcement that Ryck expected, “Propulsion is coming back online.”
    “What percentage?” the CO asked.
    “Looks like 18%, ma’am.”
    At full power, the enemy clipper could outrun the CT-83, and the skipper would have to react immediately.  At only 18%, however, it would take it a long time for it to be able to shift into bubble space, and the CT-83 could keep pace.
    But not forever if the soldiers, pinned to the hull, were to remain alive.  Ryck didn’t know their vacsuits’ capabilities, but their endurance couldn’t be more than 6 or seven hours from what he’d seen.
    The skipper had the XO report up while Ryck moved another step closer to the screen and studied the image there.  Ryck was vaguely aware of the Path of Glory telling them that no assistance would be forthcoming.  The CT-83 was on its own, and it was not to let the enemy ship get away.
    As Ryck studied the screen, things clicked into place.
    “Commander, I can help,” he said loudly to the bridge.
    LCDR Nuzzi turned to stare at him.  “Excuse me?”
    “I can help.  I know what to do.  Give me vacsuits and weapons, and I can take that ship.”
    “You’re a Federation officer, Major, not a Free States citizen.  I don’t think that’s going to happen,” she said coldly before turning away.
    “XO, tell the commodore that I need a third of a century and three decas of Exploratores, now,” she ordered.
    After a few moments, the XO looked up from his station and said, “Ma’am, the Chief of Staff wants to speak with you, privately.”
    She pulled herself out of her command chair and went to the XO’s chair in the back of the bridge.  He put in the earpiece and listened.  Ryck could see her speak, but he couldn’t hear her.  After a few moments, she gave the earpiece back to the XO and returned to her chair.
    Ryck didn’t need to see her glowering expression to know that no one was coming to help.  He took a deep breath and then left his place in the back and walked up to her.
    “Yes, Major?  I’m a little busy