Chapter 40

0001 - Tempro
0003 - Conner
0097 - Ace
0098 - Lucy
0101 - Shelby (mother ship)
0125 - Lars
0200 - Ellen
0301 - Rodrick
0403 - Johnathon
0667 - Marco
0778 - Jan
0798 - Celeste
0908 - Tara
0999 - Zan
1000 - Sherry

Trianas Macley cursed again as several systems were still offline on her ship. Adjusting several pieces of equipment she cursed again when almost all the same systems failed to respond. “Computer is the damage to the affected systems permanent?” Trianas yelled to get over several system alarms that were going off.

“At present all power systems are at half power. Suggest landing and repair cycle to bring all systems back to one hundred percent.” Her A.I. responded.

“That isn’t possible you smart ass piece of shit!” Trianas yelled. “Turn those annoying alarms off!”

“Compliance,” the A.I. said as it was suddenly quiet in the small craft.

“Computer query, of those thirty systems can any of the vital systems that are affected be repaired while in space?” Trianas asked.

“Working on analysis,” her A.I. said then was silent for almost an hour.

In the mean time Trianas went to the back to look at the mess that was there. Cursing again after she’d removed a panel seeing that more than a few circuits were fused. Pulling out several cases she started to painstakingly replace each burned and fused circuit one at a time.

Finished with the first panel she was half done with the second when her A.I. chimed in. “Analysis complete. Since the repairs that have been started, it is estimated that ship A.I. can now begin repairs to fifteen of the thirty systems. These do not include weapons, light and energy shields, trans-warp, and hyper engines. Those will require work on the actual outer sections.”

“We have no weapons at all?” Trianas said incredulously.

“We have lost all plasma weapons, most energy weapons also torpedo launchers have lost power. Light screen is holding at fifty five percent, energy shield is at fifty three percent. It is not advised to go into another hostile area ‘til such time as repairs are completed.” Her A.I. droned on.

“Really? No shit! Damn it! If you were alive I would so enjoy killing you!” Trianas almost screamed at her computer.

“Upon finishing the present repairs almost all systems should be near ninety five percent. Although the trans-warp will require more outer work. Hyper drive should be operable though at present only around fifty five to sixty percent.” Her A.I. replied unemotionally.

Trianas shook her head as she started to replace every burned circuit as fast as she could. Knowing that moron, asinine ex-husband of hers he’d be hunting her soon. “Take us to the far side of this planet’s moon. Land, then I’ll try to effect repairs.”

Her A.I. acknowledged her order as the ship slowly moved away from the planet.

Alexander was pacing about the deck as his crew was searching for his ex-wife’s ship. “Well,” he asked, exasperatedly as he walked up behind several of the techs who were doing the searching.

“Nothing as of yet sir, we are continuing to scan.” The head tech told the leader.

“We need to find that bitch before she has a chance to fire on us!” The leader said calmly, a calm that every man on the ship knew was by far more dangerous than his anger.

“Continuing all scans to all possible positions from last speed and course,” the head tech replied.

Alexander nodded trying to calm more. It wouldn’t do him any good to kill his techs, not yet anyway. He was about to walk off the command deck when a young tech called him over.

“Leader, I am seeing an energy trail unlike any I have seen before.” The young tech informed Alexander.

Rushing over Alexander demanded, “Show me!”

Even as the tech was pointing out what he’d found, Alexander was smiling evilly. “Continue to monitor it. If you start to detect a ship, I am to know immediately! Today we kill that bitch, and then we can concentrate on that bastard that claims to be the emperor!”

It was a day later Trianas had managed to land on the dark side of the planet’s moon. She’d managed to get almost all her systems back on line except trans-warp, plasma and most of her energy weapons. Stepping out in a safe low atmosphere suit, she stared at the bent and broken astral fins. Damn it! Her ex obviously had better gunners than she thought.

Setting to work, she spent as long as she could adjusting what was left of the fins. Disgusted she saw that even if she had trans-warp she had no way to navigate. On and off the rest of the day she worked adjusting and replacing what she could. The inner circuits she had plenty of, it was the external ones she was very short on. Sighing at least she had ninety eight percent hyper-drive.

Funny Trianas thought, she’d expected her ex to have made an exerted effort to find her. She’d just sat in the command seat to plan when her sensor’s started to go crazy. Looking toward the galactic edge she was reading a massive space battle. Apparently an alien race was invading, it also appeared that O’Toma was there with only 13 ships. Looking again she lost count of the huge force that was advancing.

“Computer, estimate percentage for Imperial fleet victory over invading force,” Trianas asked.

“At present Imperial force has superior firepower and defenses. Invading force is numbering upwards to ten thousand. Even with the superiority the Imperial fleet has, the sheer numbers the invading fleet has will prove fatal. Success of Imperial fleet estimated at twenty two percent. This will increase one percent for every one hundred twenty eight point two zero five invading ships they destroy or disable.” Trianas A.I. informed her.

With a wicked smile she thought, ‘Ha asshole! Looks like you bit off more than you can chew!’ Then her smile faded as she watched a hundred of the invaders vanish. Then a mere ten minutes later another four then eight hundred were gone. Damn it! The invaders weren’t even getting close! Cursing her luck, Trianas knew that had she been able to reach the emperor with him so distracted, she could have ended his life.

Even as she watched, the number of invaders started to drastically drop. It was barely half an hour later that the invading fleet was reduced to half. Damn it! The bastard was obviously better equipped than she had at first been informed.

Alexander had spent the previous day pacing the entire ship as he awaited news. Early the next day his second found him, “leader we believe we have found where she went. Apparently she was on sub-space drive only!”

“Finally,” Alexander shouted. “Bout damn time something went our way for a change. I want lift off as soon as possible. It’s time to end her once and for all!”

His second nodded leaving to fulfill the leader’s orders. They had just lifted off when several of the techs started to yell. “What’s wrong?” Alexander said as he rushed to the head tech.

“It appears to be an enormous battle at the galactic edge. I am reading well over nine thousand invaders.” The tech said his lip quivering.

Alexander whistled, so the bastard fake was making a good show of it huh? A mere thirty minutes later Alexander’s smile had long since vanished as he read that over half the invading fleet was destroyed. “Damn it! I was hoping they might help take the bastard out and save us time! Oh well, just have to kill him after all!”

“Lifting off leader, course set for the dark side of the planet’s moon.” His second stated.

Whirling Alexander started yelling orders, “I want all targeting set for anything that resembles her ship! Lock on and blow her ass away!”

An alarm let Trianas know that they were coming. “So you are hoping to trap me here huh? I think it’s about time I hurt you as badly as you did me!” She laughed as she started to program several weapons. “Last time I gave you far more credit than you deserved. That won’t happen again!”

It had taken her almost a day to make it here. Her ex would cover the distance in an hour and a half. Smiling she thought more than enough time!

The Betrayal made orbit of the moon then started to head to the dark side. Trianas smiled as she detected the ship as it was rounding the moon. “Now! Fire! Reposition as soon as the torpedoes explode!”

The front of her ship glowed a moment as two torpedoes were launched streaking away. The Betrayal had just cleared the moon’s curve when several alarms went off.

“I have two destructive antimatter weapons heading this way at accelerated speed.” The head tech yelled then a moment later a huge explosion rocked the ship.

Alexander grimaced as he looked at the injured on the command deck. “Damage report!” He yelled above the alarms.

The second command tech who was checking the unconscious head tech on the deck stated, “The weapons overloaded the shields we have secondary damage to the shields and outer hull. All drives are off line. We still have shields but they are at forty five percent. Almost all weapons effectiveness reduced to twenty five percent.”

“Damn it! Fire whatever we have at her!” Alexander shouted.

“Particle beams fired, leader I am reading another antimatter weapon being launched! Targeting it also!” For the second time twin energy beams left the Betrayal. The first set striking harmlessly two thousand meters from where Trianas had been.

Smiling smugly it quickly vanished as a collision alarm sounded. “We need to evacuate! Particle beams will detonate the last antimatter torpedo!” Her A.I. warned her.

Nodding she had a new course set, had lifted and was starting to move when the torpedo went off. “Ah shit!” Trianas said as the blast caught and drove her ship back into the moon’s surface harder than she wished.

Skidding for a few meters, the ship came to a stop. “Any hull breaches?” She asked of her A.I. When there was no response she cursed again. Bringing up what she could she saw that the integrity was intact though she didn’t know for how long.

Running to the back she started to break out several cases as she was quickly replacing what she could.

Alexander was seething with anger. How dare that piece of filth ex-wife of his damage the sect’s prize ship! Then a thin smile crossed his lips as he saw that she was also in almost the same boat that they were. “I want estimates as to when we can move! I want the propulsion and weapons systems back as soon as possible!”

Trianas was flying about the back of the cabin replacing everything she could as fast as she could. As of yet she was still receiving no response from her A.I. Painstakingly she started adjusting even more equipment, still getting no response. Finally she started to work on the main section of the computer finding that several circuits were burned out. She’d already replaced quite a few sections when the A.I. power started to flicker the start to strengthen.

With a smile Trianas kept working ‘til she started to get positive readings. “Are you cognizant?” She asked of her A.I.

There was a low buzz then an extremely slow voice stated. “Systems coming back on line.” A moment later the voice was stronger. “Ship’s computer coming back on line. Operating at forty percent. Attempting to rectify.”

Trianas nodded she had to replace what she could or she and the ship were sitting ducks if her ex got his ship up first.

Alexander knelt over the second in charge tech, seeing the long gash on the man’s chest he knew the man was past help. Though blowing the torpedo away had the desired effect crippling his ex’s ship, it had other effects. He had seriously underestimated the destructive force of it. Looking at what was left of the tech crew he shouted orders. “I want a full inspection. We have to get power back up before she does or we’ll be an easy target for her.”

It was some thirty minutes later when the head tech found the leader. “Sir,” The man stated. “We’ve finished initial analysis, it appears that the power plants were damaged by the blasts. For the moment our trans-warp is down, as is our hyper and sub-light drives. We are barely able to maintain twenty five percent shields. I’ve started everyone on repairs but I am afraid we might be here for a while.”