The Black Gate (The Messenger #11) - J.N. Chaney Page 0,34
subtlety, no,” Lomas agreed. “They’re just an ongoing pain in the ass. That said, we have to be careful when we’re near their space. Our tech is a lot closer to theirs than it is to yours.”
“I’ll take that into consideration, but I have to say the novelty of meeting a race with basic tech has already worn off, especially since they’re determined to punch up. Let’s just put these guys out of our misery and move on.”
“I wonder if there were ever conversations like this aboard the Golden’s ships when they faced humans without Unseen tech?” Leira asked.
Dash worked through that. “Maybe, but with a critical distinction. I don’t want to actually kill these idiots, unlike the Golden outlook on everyone who wasn’t them. Let’s just dissuade them. Target their engines only, try to leave the rest of their ship—life support, at least—functional.”
“Targeting engines only,” Leira said, following Dash as he wheeled the Archetype around and started a fast attack run. “We can call it Operation Lucky Day. Not that they’ll be around to chat about it, at least not with us.”
He selected the rightmost of the three ships to target, Leira the leftmost. When the firing solution hit 100 percent—which happened quickly, and still at long range—they both fired brief pulses from their dark-lances. The beams punched through both ships, killing the drive on one, while sending the other tumbling out of control. The remaining ship returned fire with particle cannons, which splashed ineffectually against the Archetype’s shield. The Hannsic ship followed up with another salvo of missiles that the mech’s point-defense swatted into debris almost as soon as they fired.
Dash snorted in disgust. “They’re dumb, but at least they’re determined.”
“I’m sure they think this is bravery,” Leira said. “Some of them are probably shouting war cries with their shirts off. Stuff like that.”
“Shirtless and dumb. A lethal combination for pirates, or anyone, come to think of it. Leira, cover me. I’m going to go and demonstrate to this Hannsic Net why this isn’t a good idea,” Dash said, resigned to a delicate balance between making a point and ending lives.
He powered the Archetype directly at the remaining operational enemy ship. It opened with repeated particle-cannon shots, which were augmented with brief, but powerful blasts of laser light. The Archetype sailed through the barrage, then Dash brought the massive mech to a halt just alongside the engine section.
“Last chance, guys,” he muttered. “If this doesn’t get your attention, then I think we’re done playing nicely.”
Dash reached out, slammed his hands into the hull plating, then pulled, wrenching free a huge chunk of the ship’s structure. Automated safeties immediately shut down the now-exposed drive, and the ship went dead. A few seconds later, power signatures reappeared, but much weaker—emergency power had kicked in.
“Okay, now let’s—”
“Incoming message from the Hannsic Net ship,” Sentinel said.
“Color me surprised.”
“Do you wish to speak to them?”
“Yes, I do.”
“But not now?”
“Nope.” Dash somersaulted the Archetype over to the far side of the enemy ship, then ripped the hull plating off that side, too.
Then he eased the mech back and deployed the power-sword.
“Uh, Dash? What are you planning?” Leira said. “That ship is done.”
“It is, isn’t it? Sentinel, I’ll bet they’re anxious to talk to us, aren’t they?”
“The translator does succeed in capturing what appears to be an extremely urgent tone in their messages.”
“I’ll bet it does,” Dash said, then did nothing at all.
“Messenger?”
“Sentinel, please. I’m taking a post-battle moment here. The stress of the engagement got to me.”
“Ah. You’re making them wait.”
“Correct. And that’s probably long enough. Put them on.”
A comm window popped open in Dash’s view. It framed what immediately struck him as a small, angry-looking bear. Dark, beady eyes glared at him.
“You are intruding on the territorial space of the Hannsic—”
“I know we are,” Dash said. “You know what? It’s irrelevant. We’re not here to conquer anything or steal your planets or goods. We’re here to right a wrong, plain and simple, and unless you have a death wish, I suggest you cease attacking us. People are going to get hurt.”
The bear-like face twisted in what might have been rage. “You dare speak to the Hannsic Net in this tone?”
“And how dare you attack us without provocation. You could have just tried to engage without missiles, but you chose to attack first, and now you’re adrift, at my mercy, and still not choosing your words with any care. I’m a patient guy, but this only goes so far,” Dash said with growing heat.