Read Scourge: Book Two of the Starcrown Chronicles Page 33

  Chapter Sixteen

  Starboard cargo bay three was the smallest of the auxiliary cargo compartments on the ship. It had earned that distinction ever since its twin on the port side had been converted into Barney’s lab. Although small for a cargo bay, the compartment was large enough for us to use as a staging site for covert activities. Our makeshift drone had been launched from this same compartment just before we entered the pirate’s asteroid base. What made the compartment so useful was the fact that it had its own exterior hatch. Although designed to allow bulky cargo or equipment to be loaded without depressurizing the main hold, we would be using the bay to launch a clandestine mission into the heart of the pirate stronghold.

  As Barney finished giving some last minute instructions to the team I was sending, I stood to one side and tried to stay out of the way. In the center of the compartment were two of Barney’s latest creations, which he was calling stealth scooters. He was squatting next to one of the scooters as he pointed out different features of the machine to the team. The drone he had built with Ian and Mark had actually given him the inspiration for these latest inventions. Like the drone, the scooters were built from what used to be two of our torpedoes. After removing the warheads he had attached a pair of seats and a set of manual controls to each one. This would allow the person in the front seat to steer the scooter while the stealth emitter kept the riders hidden from enemy scans. They were clumsy looking machines, but they would get the job done. We were going to use the scooters to send the tactical team back through the tunnels to sabotage the guns. It was a big risk considering that we had no idea what the internal layout of the control bunker was, but it was the only chance I saw for us to put the guns out of commission.

  “Should be just like riding my hovercycle back home,” Bobby said as he straightened up from his inspection of the scooter controls. He paused and raised his arms as Jimmy made some adjustments to the sides of his armor so it would fit his torso better. Bobby, along with each of the tactical team members, was wearing one of the rehabbed battle armor suits we had taken from the pirates. The suit Bobby was wearing was a little small for him, but by opening the plates to their maximum settings it had been made serviceable. Gaps between the armor plating would be more pronounced if he made any extreme movements, but they weren’t planning to engage in any battles. The suits were mainly to disguise them so they could move freely through the command bunker without being challenged. Only the helmets needed to be attached in order to seal the suits for their trip through the vacuum outside of the ship. Jimmy finished his adjustments a moment later and Bobby rotated his arms experimentally.

  “That’s a lot better. Thanks,” Bobby said.

  Barney looked at me and nodded. “That’s everything.”

  I stepped forward and looked into the faces of the four men I was sending into danger. Although Bruce had not been on the bridge to see the guns when we first entered the pirate base, from my description of the weapons, our demolitions expert was confident that he could put them out of commission even though we had a limited supply of explosive aboard.

  “We need those guns taken out,” I said. “But don’t take any unnecessary risks. Even if the drone made it safely out of the asteroid field and has already transmitted its message, it will still take at least a week for the Fleet to send anyone way out here. If you can’t figure out a way to disable the guns, back off and we’ll try again later. I can always come up with some excuse about needing to make repairs before we can put out to space again. That should buy us a day or two.”

  “Piece of cake,” Bobby said, smiling.

  Of the four of them, Bobby was the only one who was openly excited about the mission. He was also the one I was the most worried about. Clive and the others were combat veterans who I knew could handle themselves, but Bobby was no soldier. He was one of the best intuitive pilots I had ever seen, but his natural environment was shooting curls on a surf board, not conducting covert sabotage missions. The only reason I was sending him was because he was the only one who could find his way back through the maze of tunnels. Bobby had an extraordinary sense of direction and could always find his way even if he had only been to someplace once. Although Angela had done the actual piloting of the Prometheus into the asteroid, Bobby had been standing beside the helm watching everything she did. He assured me that he could find his way back without a problem.

  I wished them luck then Barney and I exited the bay. We watched from the passageway as the four of them picked up their helmets and drew them on over their heads. Following standard safety protocol, each person had another team member review the status indicators on the chest of their suit as a final check. I was glad to see that Clive and the others were looking out for Bobby. I knew they would do everything in their power to get him back in one piece. In a few moments each of them had gotten an OK from one of the others. With their suits secure, they each stepped up to their scooters and brought a leg over the machines to settle themselves into place. Bobby and Clive would lead the way on one scooter while Bruce and Jimmy brought up the rear.

  As they switched on their scooters I pressed the hatch control and closed the door, sealing the bay. I watched the small monitor panel beside the door as powerful pumps evacuated the atmosphere from the compartment. As soon as a vacuum had been established I extinguished the lights in the bay and opened the outer hatch.

  A knot formed in the pit of my stomach as I thought about what they were about to attempt. Not only were four of my people placing themselves in peril but the lives of every crewmember in the Fleet battle group that would be dispatched here hung in the balance as well. When I took a longer view, I realized that the future of every inhabited planet in the galaxy also stood to be affected by what happened here.

  Nothing like a little pressure to keep things interesting.