Return to “Creative Writing”

Post

Conscience

#1
The blue glow of mining beams filled the view, matching the colour of the looming planet before us, my own mining lasers gouging out chunks of the nearest asteroid. These asteroids were full of metals and the population of the colonies were loving it, manufacturing equipment that traders came from sectors away for. One day I knew I would own those manufacturing plants but for now I could enjoy a monopoly of this sector’s mining operations despite the stain on my conscience over my ex-competition.

I smiled all around my ship were almost two dozen of my mining barges, the other ten delivering their ores to the planet. At this rate within a week I would easily be able to set up a trading station up here in space allowing me to gain even more profit reselling the colonies’ equipment up here in orbit. Pondering if I could just take the planet by force; I had finally afforded a combat frigate with a small escort of half a dozen fighters and right now they had little to do but patrol for pirates who stayed well out of their way. Maybe I could forget the trading station and buy a battleship instead.
“Sir, we have a group of unidentified ships entering the sector.” The voice of Captain Rodgers, the current commander of the frigate, barked out of the coms as if on queue. I tapped a button and instantly his position and stats were projected on the windscreen.
“Check it out if you want, it’s probably just a trader with an escort, and you know how many traders have been caught by pirates around here.” Indifferent I turned back to the spreadsheet calculating my last month's profits.
“I don’t think so Sir, all the ships look heavily armed, and they are not heading our calls and are cruising quickly towards your position.” I swore, now they had my attention.

“Get back to us then! And now!” There was a beep as my scanners picked them up, there were nine ships in total of various sizes but all of them were terrifyingly fast. I flicked a switch which brought up the coms to the barges.

“All captains, defensive formation on me, suspected enemies inbound fast!” Abruptly the mining lasers blinked off and the barges’ engines ignited as they pulled away from their asteroids towards me. Through the windscreen I also spotted the distant lights of the engines of the assailants. Flicking another switch allowed me to speak through loudspeakers to the other five crew members of my barge.

“All hands to battle stations, enemies inbound. Switching all power to shields and weapons.” In a second I switched the flight controls to control the point defence turret positioned somewhere just behind the bridge. The screen changed to a view from the turret’s perspective and I panned around to face the oncoming enemies around which circles were displayed as the target computer identified them as such. My own fleet was still two minutes away.

Suddenly there were bright flashes from the enemy ships and streaks of plasma swept towards us. I swore and returned fire and the rest of my ships copied illuminating the area of space with hundreds of beams of light. Then warning signs went of announcing that the enemy had launched high yield missiles and I knew by the end of this battle, even with the fleet joining in, I would have a few less ships than when I started.

Taking a deep breath I made a mental reminder to add destroying the pirate outposts to my list of projects. Once I got my battle ship they would not stand a chance.

Online Now

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron