Beyond Mars Crimson Fleet Read Free Page A

fighters zoomed through
the void trying to dodge other spacecraft and the all too apparent
twisted and shattered wreckage wroth by war. Their plasma bullets
of super-heated gas, and energy-seeking missiles sometimes found
their marks—and sometimes didn’t. Regardless, pulse cannons of
other fighters as well as the lasers of larger warships targeted
the small speeding craft themselves. In the hectic chaos and
carnage, hulking remains and broken bodies were left drifting
everywhere—forever tumbling slowly in the coldness and solitude of
space. This was the stark testimony of mankind’s habitual insanity
brought about by hatred, injustice, politics, and lust for
domination.
    Among this moving maze of bloodshed and desolation,
a damaged Martian shuttle zigzagged in evasive maneuvers. It
ferried to a hopeful safe haven the only survivors of a ship that
no longer existed. However, some things were never fated to be.
Even though it wasn't a combative craft, it soon became the prey of
two Earth fighters. Within moments, the two teardrop spacecraft
with stubby delta wings let loose streams of plasma pulses at the
unarmed craft from their nose-mounted weapons. After several direct
hits, the burning plasma ignited fuel and oxygen instantaneously in
a blasting rupture. The shuttle then dissolved into a brilliant
ball of fire, killing all aboard.
    After destroying the
shuttle, the two Earth fighters then picked out an old Martian
cruiser making its way through the heart of the battle. Circling
from behind, the two daring pilots chose to make their run on the
dark grayish-blue ship. They increased their throttle and headed
in.
    The old ship for the most part resembled a huge
orca: an obsolete design concept that echoed the importance life
once held by humanity. However, conards were substituted for fins,
while gun blisters, and compartments punctuated the vessel. Also
added to her silhouette just above mid-ship was a magnetic field
accelerator that took the shape of a flat ring dome. It was
connected topside by a huge dorsal fin, and was used for creating
the massive and complex rotating magnetic fields needed for
hyperspace travel as well as defensive shields. Beneath her, a
large rectangular flight bay hung from the bottom of the vessel,
while smaller engine pods on either side of her were mounted for
maneuver and reverse thrust. Ominously, the rounded bow of the ship
was fitted with a ramming plane that traveled its diameter: a
leftover from battle tactics of long ago.
    As the
old vessel traveled through the conflict, both pilots fired their
plasma weapons simultaneously at the ship. However, the Martian
cruiser christened Mariner was heavily armored and returned their fire almost
immediately. A direct hit transformed one fighter into millions of
tiny flaming fragments as the second fighter pressed its attack—as
well as is luck. This ultimately proved fatal, as one of the
warship's laser cannons severed an engine and several control
surfaces from the fighter. The small craft spun out of control,
ending its flight with an explosive impact near the bridge of the
big ship.
    The
bridge of the Mariner rocked from the volatile collision. Normal lighting dimmed and
blinked off, replaced by an emergency subdued red illumination for
a moment. It faded the bridge into a temporary surreal atmosphere
of glimmering instruments being attended by shadowy figures. But an
instant later, normal lighting snapped back on and was
restored.
    The
bridge crew of the Mariner paid no heed to the lighting as they felt the ship
rock from the violent encounter. Like crewmen of any ship, they
continued to carry out their seemingly endless tasks of tending
positioned instruments mounted against the bulkhead walls or around
the main holographic viewer. Dressed in dark blue flight suits that
covered their bodies from their black combat boots to their necks,
the crewmen were methodical, yet hasty in their
actions.
    A small, stocky man with two stars on his