The Dead Zone
Unnamed System DZ199,181
Thrynn Frigate Kryssthoggr

"Target the port bow. Match bearings for launchersss one through four" order Hthssbr. The weapons were long since active. The approach had been extremely difficult. They'd made it to the middle of the system by hiding in the gravity wells of the two outer planets, flying right by the ice rock and the gas giant. There was a gulf of open space between the giant planet and the life-bearing planet. That had been a problem. So when ISS Belfast Windfall's orbit carried it below the horizon, Kryssthogger would sprint inward only to cut the engines before the Interstel ship re-emerged. When it was visible, the Kryssthoggr drifted on auxiliary life support. Hthssbr had ordered all non-critical systems taken off line.

She was furious that the Humans were poking around the system. Their timing was horrendous. If Kryssthoggr were detected, all would be lost, but the Humans were still unaware. Even the young officers knew the danger. Their quarry had raised class six shields and carried the new plasma bolt launchers. If ISS Belfast Windfall had time to arm and launch a single one, the Kryssthoggr would be crippled. But the Interstel ship was in very low orbit, probably conducting some ludicrous scientific research. That's why Hthssbr targeted all four of her missile launchers on the port bow. It was a gamble. Hthssbr stood. "Fire." The Kryssthoggr shuddered as the missiles left their launchers.

The Dead Zone
Unnamed System DZ199,181
Aboard ISS Belfast Windfall

The ship rocked violently, though the shields were holding. More out of instinct than anything else Biggs shouted, 'Snapshot! Lasers to point refract, fire! Fire!" Arm the plasma bolts!" The laser cannons hadn't had any time to warm up, so the snapshot wouldn't strike with anything near full power. That was only a minor concern because ISS Belfast Windfall had bigger problems. She was turned on her side and screeching toward the planet surface. From a distance, the ship was a streaking, white glow.

"Commander, we're hitting upper atmosphere-- we can't make entry at this angle!" said Grx'bzzgah, "we'll burn up." The readings were already coming in across the status screen on the bulkhead, and the intercom was jammed with damage reports.

"Straighten the damned ship out, Grix, just hold it together," the Commander ordered. He was furious. ISS Belfast Windfall was in low orbit, a slave to gravity. The missiles hadn't done much direct damage but they had bounced ISS Belfast onto a suicide course into the atmosphere. "Arella, get me a scan-- who's shooting at us?" Lieutenant Newark was already taking the readings.

"It's a Thrynn ship for sure," she reported, "a pretty small one. Looks like a Hshk class frigate, maybe a type two. She's tracking us from orbit...I'm reading endurium residue." A muffled explosion resounded through the ship. It was the coolant pipes in one of the engine wells. The heat was too much. Ux was on the comm shouting for his team to shut it down.

The Dead Zone
Unnamed System DZ199,181
Thrynn Frigate Kryssthoggr

"Ssplendid," observed Hthssbr. "Continue monitoring their progresss." The four missiles had sent the Interstel vessel careening through the upper atmosphere. The young lieutenants were ecstatic.

"Massster, let usss pursssue them across the skiesss and desstroy both they and the Elowan colony," hissed a lieutenant. "Thiss isss a gloriousss day, we musst tear them apart, Captain." Hthssbr looked around at the near frenzy of excitement on her bridge. It was becoming dangerous.

"No. We will dessstroy the Human ship, but the sssettlement, wherever it isss, will be pressserved," she said. The lieutenants snapped around to glare. "There are other mattersss at hand lieutenant, not sssimply glory," she continued, staring into the adolescent's eyes. They were cold and merciless.

"Captain Hthssbr, thisss iss an outrage. We mussst--"

"We musst what, lieutenant? Shall we disssobey our orderss and fail in our mission?" The appeal had no moral weight and Hthssbr knew it. "If we--"

"Vile weaknesss!" shrieked the lieutenant. "Are we not Thrynn?" Hthssbr suddenly realized that he was trying to hold her gaze. The realization came a second too late. Hthssbr felt the sharp claws tear through her throat and watched her blood spill over the command chair. As the life seeped out of her she remembered a parable about blindly unleashing one's own fate. Her body slumped to the dark steel deck.

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Next: "Warship"

Hallabaloo, sports fans. You loyal followers of the Adventures of that Tight-Wad Whatshisname? will not be disappointed as the final moments unfold at the Nebula Lounge. How about those Buffalo wings?

"Hilsfar & Company: Because We Are From New Jersey, Yes"