Aurora Dancing With The Sky: Chapter 5

Chapter 5
The sudden switch back to normal lighting made Sky's head spin for a moment before he composed himself and looked at the view screen. He could see the giant Tongalin Harbinger appear in view. "Engines to full. 300 by 320 take us above them." The helmsmen quickly punched in the co-ordinates and steered the ship to its course. "Sensor Array located, target mark 045 by 069, charging Proton Cannon." Sky looked at his chair's small info screen seeing the distance to the targeted section. "Hold fire till one quarter mile range." The ship in the view screen loomed before them. "Fire the Proton Cannon!" Harmony called to her to subordinates in the C.I.C. The cannon fired an accelerated mass of protons so highly charged that they were visible as a glowing mass in space.
It slammed into the side of the enemy ship ripping and tearing until it ran out of energy leave a deep gash in its side. "Direct hit, their sensor array has suffered severe damage sir. They'll be completely blind." Sky snapped out his next order. "Come around to mark 082 by 300. Target their main weapons see if we can slow weaken th...." However Sky orders were interrupted by a virtual scream from the C.I.C. "Enemy sighted. A second enemy Harbinger has just pulled into sensor range. Mark 180 by 270." Sky felt the words like a blow to the stomach. An enemy ship with thousands of times the firepower of his own taking him by surprise. For moment his mind said 'It's all over!' However in a second he was back in control. "Get us under the Harbinger mark 345 by 0. Use her as a shield." Because of their proximity to such a large object there was a sudden lurch in the gravity as the Bolt dived underneath it for cover.
The ship rocked from side to side as it moved into cover behind the blind Harbinger. "Enemy fired EAC. Weapons signatures scanned and locked." Sky was worried by the lack of warning before the shot. "How far away was the shot and why didn't we know it was coming?" He could hear frantic computer use around him. "The enemy came into range weapons already charged. They must have received a communication from the first harbinger before they came into scanner range."
Sky's mind suddenly flashed to the battle plan he'd been given. The Harbinger Demi-God was going to be Dark Shifting into the Nebula in two minutes. He had no choice, if he didn't attack the Demi-God would be destroyed and the person crew 500 would die. "We have to attack. If the Demi-God dark shifts now it's all over. The Harbinger will wipe them out." Sky looked at the image of the first Harbinger. The sensor array was blasted practically off of the ship. He immediately started formulating a strategy, it was wild and risky. Sky looked his options and decided it was the only chance the Demi-God had. "On my mark fire at the base of the enemy sensor array; the one we already disabled. Lieutenant I want that sensor array to drift off as whole and as hot as possible. Helm, bring us about to mark 080 by 200 on my mark full speed and head straight for the second enemies sensor array. I'll leave the bearings to you. Sensor Control as soon as we have a reading give the helm as much warning as you can about where the enemy are going to fire. We won't have long with this, we have to hit their sensor array fast or it'll be all over. If we don't do this the Demi-God will be wiped out. They're counting on us."
"We'll get them sir!" The man at the communications station said. He went quiet at a look from Soren. "Proton cannon charged sir." Sky stood and took his sheathed sword in hand. "Fire on the sensor array" The proton cannon blasted out another charge of heated particles smashing the enemy sensor array loose. The heat of the blast was making the sensor array look like a small ship. Sky hoped it would be distraction enough. "Helm full speed ahead!" They could hear the loud thrum of the engines as they struggled thrusting the HSS Bolt out from the protection of the Harbinger. "The enemy have fired on the wreckage sir. It had been destroyed." Sky tightened his grip on his sword. His hand was played, live or die it depended on the next few moments. Sky hoped to god the enemy had underestimated him and only charged one of the main cannons. If they had a second cannon readythe Bolt would be destroyed in seconds.
The second harbinger hove into view, the enemy captain had closed the range and the ship loomed massively in the view screen. Sky felt his blood sing as he rode his ship into battle. The enemy had given him all the advantage he needed to strike his blow. "Proton Cannon charging, sir." Harmony called from behind him. Sky could see the sensor array on the view screen, it seemed so close he could almost reach out and touch it. "Weapons locked on the sensor array, firing!" Harmony called. Sky watched as the mass of charged particles smashed into the enemy sensor array. The close range shot crashed into the enemy's hull and Sky had to contain his urge to jump for joy.
He'd done it two enemy ships more than five times his size and crew had been blinded and unable were to move because of their blindness.
"The enemy are charging their secondary battery sir." Sky was confused the enemy couldn't aim any shots so what was the point in charging weapons. "Helm, Move us away." The moment Sky gave the order "The enemy are firing sir" Sky didn't even have a chance to give another order as soon as the call was made. The Bolt suddenly slammed to one side. Alarms were sounding and all the crew were shaken. "Damage Report!" Sky shouted, he'd barely managed to keep his feet. "They just clipped us sir, but engineering is open to space. The automatic seals have locked it down." Sky clenched his fists. There were at least two crewmen in engineering. They would be dead for sure. "Sir, The Demi-God has just dark shifted into the Nebula. They're charging weapons." Sky pointed the hilt of his sword at the communications station "Hail them!" It took only a second for Captain Nether to appear on the view screen and Sky did not wait on pleasantries. "Both the harbinger’s are blind sir. Please hold you fire." Captain Nether look absolutely astounded as well he might. In naval terms this tiny little ship usually not considered for more than scouting duties had taken on two heavy duty enemy warships and rendered them impotent. "Captain Nether sir, the polarised armour plating is shutting down! The Nebula is interfering with it somehow." It was in that moment Sky saw how lucky they had been. Inside the nebula the polarised armour plating of a Harbinger didn't work. With no polarised armour plating the enemy ships could deflect the shots from his puny proton cannon. Anywhere else and his plan would have failed. "Commander Praetora, your ship is damaged how severe is the damage." Sky looked to Harmony, who had just walked onto the bridge. "The engine cooling and control systems were destroyed by the hit sir. The engines are going to explode and we can't get into engineering in time." Sky's head dropped. His first mission in his first command and it was going to end like this. "Sir the HSS Bolt is going to have to be abandoned. My crew will evacuate, if you would be kind enough to recover them." Sky didn't get to say anymore "If you are thinking of going down with the ship commander think again. You are evacuating with your crew and that is a direct order." Sky snapped to attention and saluted. "Aye sir" The view screen went blank. "Abandon ship!" He shouted at his crew and they all fled to the escape pods. Sky and Harmony got into the last pod together, rocketing into space and an unknown future.
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