“Where is Jak?” asked the Tempest in its subdued feminine voice.
Baxter felt like being ill as he moved off in the opposite direction of where he knew he needed to be. He was certainly aware that he needed to get back to the Catalyst and save Jak and Cyan, but he also understood it would be a waste to just rush in and be blasted into bits before he had any chance to make a difference.
He only answered the computer to defeat the feeling of loneliness in the cold quiet ship. “Sorry, but something came up. Jak’s gone ... temporarily, I hope.”
How had they taken them? Cartrite’s soldiers had simply grabbed on to his friends and disappeared. It seemed the rumours regarding Cartrite’s technological experiments were true. He had developed something far more sophisticated than anything Baxter had ever heard of and had of course turned around and used it for an ill purpose.
“Will we be pursuing him?” asked the ship.
Baxter reviewed the screen readouts and decided it was safe to assume Cartrite hadn’t turned his massive ship around to follow one loser in an old fashioned space ship. Still, he decided to leave the ship at its current pace, quickly increasing the distance away from the Catalyst.
“Depends,” answered Baxter. “What is the status of our weapon systems?”
“The weapon systems are nearly depleted ... the forward port cannon is unreadable ... it is likely disconnected from the ship ... the starboard port cannon is functioning ... all other weapons are drained or damaged.”
Baxter realized victory through strength of arms would be impossible. One working cannon would not get them far even with a weak enemy. The Catalyst probably had hundreds, if not thousands, of high energy weapons and a strong shielding system protecting it.
“Then it doesn’t look like we’ll be following him,” said Baxter.
The ship’s silence added to Baxter’s feeling of guilt.
He had nothing but a broken ship and a simulated voice to work with. There was no plan in his head and his courage was collapsing quickly.
The only positive piece of information Baxter had was insight into one feature of Cartrite’s ship. Invisibility.
When it appeared outside the cockpit window, Baxter had been able to take a few more readings. He was processing the data the ship collected when they had seen the energy burst before boarding Murdock’s ship. There had to be some answers there. Some kind of a leak in the great ship’s defence.
Attacking the Catalyst was of course stupid and impossible, even if he could find it. Flying back and surrendering would result in their gaining of a third prisoner.
His concentration was interrupted by a blip on the sensors. It looked like another ship on a direct course toward him. He punched in a few numbers and adjusted his course.
The other ship made the same adjustment.
Baxter slowed the ship down to two thirds of the speed it had been traveling.
The other ship slowed to the same speed.
“What is the weapons status of that ship?” he asked the computer.
“It appears to be armed.”
“Perfect timing,” said Baxter to himself.
He wasn’t impressed. If this was some kind of a hijacker or another pirate, he was finished.
“Ready the weapon systems,” he ordered.
“Please remember there is only one cannon still functional.”
“So then warm up the cannon.”
It was going to be a rough ride, but if he couldn’t save Jak, then at least he could honour his memory by going down fighting. As the other ship drew nearer, Baxter wondered how it had all gone so wrong, so quickly.