Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (best ereader for pc txt) 📕

Anything we can do to forcethem to stop the attack is a win, even if they try and jumpaway.”

“Look!” Hawkins said,“The crazy bastard!”

Valentine strained tolook through the cracked hull, and thenspotted bright flashes as a massive shape rushed past them. Hereyes opened wide in disbelief.

“It’s a starcarrier, and it’s a wreck.”

She detached her clamp and pushedherself to the side of the craft. It was a risky move, but once there she held onto the emergency grabhandles.

“I’venever seen a battle like this,” said Hawkins.

She looked to her side and foundhim alongside her, watching the unfoldingdrama.

“Have you?”

Valentine nodded slowly.

“I have. And it’s nota pretty sight.”

Atleast thirty Alliance ships were out there, nearly half front linecapital ships. A handful of the Ski’lig attack ships were still inthe fight, and many of the vessels on both sides were on fire andheavily damaged. Fighters and drones moved around like shoals offish, all while the behemoth sat over the planet, absorbingeverything thrown at it.

“Wait,” said Hawkins,“The General is ramming that Ski’lig floatingcity?”

He looked back at theothers just as the bow of the starcarrierslammed into the hull of the alien vessel. There was no greatexplosion, but instead a cloud of broken hull, and a host offragments scattered around the impact. The engines of thestarcarrier grew brighter and brighter as it punched its way deepinto the hull.

“He’s gonna destroy them.”

“No,” said LieutenantFletcher, “He’s punching a hole so we canget inside.”

He pointed towards the crash site.

“That’s where we’re going, and wedo not leave until that ship is a burnt-out hulk. Understood?”

“Sir, Yes, Sir!” came back the chorus.

“Outstanding,”he said, moving his attention toValentine. He knelt beside her and grasped her hand.

“Today, we both will find peace.You’re not leaving that ship until you’vefulfilled your promise.”

“Yes,Sir.”

Alexis lookedacross to her.

“Promise?”

“It’s a long story.But it will end with one of their commanders’head on a platter.”

“Amen to that,”said Hawkins.

Even Tsarkov appeared caught upin the moment. He struggled across,holding onto the grab handles. He then reached out with a hand andbumped Valentine’s.

“Today we do morethan fight the Ski’ligs. Today…we’re gonna exactour vengeance on their home turf. If you want to come to our worldsand enslave the population at will, then expect the consequences.You reap what you sow.”

“Novas!” said theLieutenant, “We’re on final approach.Buckle up!”

Valentine could see other heavy shipsheading towards the alien vessel, with one moving so quickly itripped apart like wet tissue paper.

Tex, what’s going on out there?

Shots ripped past them, and a single blast hit them from the front,punching hundreds of holes into the armour. One of2nd Lance’s Novas cried out in pain and then slumped back asblood floated around the compartment.

Empty transports andcrippled warships are being thrown at the enemy flagship. All the enemy escort vesselshave been destroyed. I believe this is what you would call, theEndgame.

“Ten seconds,” said LieutenantSterling, “We’re heading for thecoordinates coming from the General. He has a target for us. Holdon!”

Valentine watched the crack in the dropship’s hull, and for a second shecould still see space. Then it vanished, to be replaced by a mazeof metalwork and lights. She turned to looked ahead as a massivebeam punched through the front of the dropship. Incredibly, itmissed the passengers and burst out through the back, crippling thespacecraft. That was followed by a jarring wrench that threw twoNovas to the front of the dropship. They slammed into the innerbulkhead, with both knocked cold by the impact. Amazingly, theystill moved as their Cortex AI systems took over control of theirbodies.

“We’re still moving!” said a stunnedKallias.

They continued on the sametrajectory for nearly twelve seconds until they came to an abrupt stop. Lieutenant Sterling movedfrom his seat, grabbing a carbine as he moved inside the passengercompartment.

“We’re close to akilometre inside the ship.”

“A kilometre!” Kalliaslaughed, “Looks like we’re not leavinganytime soon.”

“General’s orders,”said Sterling, checking the carbine, “Hewants us as far inside the ship as we can get.”

“Okay,Novas. This is it!” Lieutenant Fletcher said, “With me!”

Valentine shook her head, her vision still blurred from the impact.Even so, she released her harness clamp and was surprised to findshe could walk normally.

“Artificial gravity inside theship.”

“Hell,yeah,” said Hawkins, “That’s more like it.”

Hawkins and Alexis moved to eachside of the side hatch and struggled toopen it.

“Get back!” Kallias said.

They leapt back as he moved in front and opened fire. His four gunsshredded the metal plating, and as he stopped, Tsarkov movedforward and shoulder barged it open. It crashed to the ground toreveal a mess of metalwork, broken cables, and splitbulkheads.

“Go,go, go!” said the Lieutenant.

Valentine was third out, and assoon as she hit the ground, her visorfilled with tactical data from the other troops doing the same.Three other Jackals were inside, as well as marines from the ruinedAlliance starcarrier. They were spread out over a large area of theship.

“Where now, Sir?”

“The General hasput sixteen teams aboard the ship, includingthose from his starcarrier.”

Valentine checked each of themon her visor and quickly worked out howmany warriors had made it inside.

“We can’t take the ship with these numbers.”

As if to emphasise that point,three of the sixteen flagged combat alerts as they encounteredenemy soldiers. But then an additionaltarget blinked.

“Change of orders. The others arewrecking engineering stations, powerplants, and more. We arejoining the General on a rescue mission. The crew of the Coventryis here. We get them, and then join up with the others.”

Valentine’s eyes opened wide.Their orders made demands of them thatshe was sure they could not meet. But they kept on moving forwards,with those at the front ripping apart metalwork to find a waythrough.

“This is insane,”said Kallias.

Valentine laughed, but then two marines pushed past carrying acase. They lowered it at the bulkheads in front and signalled tothe Novas to get back.

“Ten seconds,” said the Sergeant,and then they rushed back. Valentine lifted her shield arm and oneof them sheltered behind it as another called out the seconds. Itreached zero, and then a blinding light ripped the spaceapart.

“Go!”

TheNovas stepped through the breach and moved forward into a wall offire. Valentine could see scores of Ski’ligs on the ground ahead,but still she stepped forward, gritting her teeth. Her interceptorswent to work and then she opened fire. Shapes fell