The Alpha Choice Read Free

of the feeling that it’s all just a little too easy, and I want us covered.’  
    ‘So we proceed?’ asked Denaa.
    ‘Yes,’ Jaron answered, ‘but with caution; Command told me we’re all there is!’  
    Denaa’s eyes widened.
    ‘By the time they could divert more ships, the opportunity would be gone,’ Jaron added.
    Bakir looked unconvinced.
    ‘You have a problem with this, Bakir?’ asked Jaron.
    ‘I agree, we’ve got to act now, but to creep in and hope they don’t spot us?’ He shook his head. ‘I propose we stay in weft, until just short of the planet, then hit them with everything we've got. If we’re too cautious, too slow, it gives them a chance to get ships back here.’
    ‘If it's a trap and we’re too far in, what then?’ asked Jaron. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. ‘We have nine thousand crew members, between us. We can't risk their lives.’
    ‘It's worth it, if we deliver a killer blow,’ Bakir replied.
    Both men looked at Denaa who, without hesitation, said. ‘Jaron’s right, easy does it and if we meet anything we aren’t expecting, get out fast.’
    Bakir appeared less than pleased, but said nothing.
    Denaa added. ‘We need to pick up the intrepid duo before we go in, I’ll do that.’
    Jaron nodded. Thirty minutes later, he was alone in his ready room and had just received confirmation, the others were ready to proceed. Walking on to the bridge he gave the order to exit the Weft.
    The three warships appeared at points well short of the spy ship’s temporary home. The first few seconds after leaving the Weft were when a ship was at its most vulnerable. The field enabling travel through weft space took a few seconds to dissipate, during which time it was not possible to erect defensive shields. Usually, this did not cause a problem as it was possible, while still in the Weft, to scan some distance beyond the exit point.
    As soon as shields were in place, Jaron gave the order to advance. Starseeker pulled ahead, followed by the others in a staggered, flank formation. Nebula, immediately aft and to port of Starseeker, had already sent rendezvous coordinates to the spy ship. No sooner had the message been acknowledged, than the tiny ship left her hiding place within the debris cloud.
    Scans showed the presence of the two man spy ship and, much further afield, the three Balg transport ships. So far, so good, thought Jaron.
    Starseeker and Plasma Trail swept past the tiny ship. The distance between them and Nebula increasing, as she slowed to rendezvous with the spy ship. All scans confirmed the four ships were completely alone. As Nebula deactivated her shields to allow the smaller ship to dock, the spy ship flared out of existence. Reyat, Starseeker’s tactical officer, checked for the information he knew his commander would demand, and shook his head. ‘Sir, I can’t tell where that came from.’
    In answer, six Balg warships appeared. It was as though a cosmic hand had whipped away a huge black cloth. The Balg opened fire immediately upon both Nebula and Plasma Trail. In the moments before Nebula could erect shields, it took heavy damage to its weapons systems.
    Because Starseeker was ahead of the others, it was beyond the initial onslaught. Jaron took one glance at the tactical holosphere with its reams of data; figuring out how the Balg appeared out of nowhere would have to wait until another day, if there was to be another day! Two of the Balg ships turned to bring their larger, front mounted weapons to bear upon the flagship. Jaron guessed he had fifteen-seconds, and gave an order to Reyat, that no one else could overhear.
    Every pair of eyes on the bridge regarded the commander with horror. Most were unaware of what he intended to do, but they all knew he had deactivated defensive shields. Jaron ignored them, his eyes locked on tactical. ‘Now?’
    Reyat did not need to be told twice. The seconds ticked away as the Balg ships continued to turn. Just as the