Tales of the New Federation book 7 Winds of Change Snippet 1

 So, sitrep, Shelby 9 is selling horribly. I'm wondering if it was my choice of cover or material? Or market saturation?

I finished Jethro 10 and I am on the last book of the year, PRI4. I'm running on fumes however, we had a visit from the paramedics. (we're fine) Dad wasn't feeling well all night but bounced back once they did a check.

Book 7 is with Rea so....

Anyway.... on to the snippet!

 

Refugee Convoy

OO114-4, Omicron Sector, 734 years from present day.

 

Acting Commodore Leron Cabera was of course on hand to enter the key totrigger the bomb. The bulk freighter that had been commandeered to hold thebombs deployed the immense bomb and then backed away.

The crews of the ships watched as the bomb began its first stagedeployment. It drifted clear of the massive ship into a polar orbit. Once itwas settled there it began to kick out sub munitions that slowly began tospiral into the star. Once it was clear that there were no problems the shipsgot underway.

The small task force of 6 battered ships spent 3 days fleeing to theouter edge of the star system before the commodore sent a radio signal totrigger the final countdown on the bomb.

He had been given a small command along with his brevet promotion fromlieutenant commander to commodore with a simple but ruthless order, they wereto nova bomb the anchor stars of every hyperbridge in order to prevent theXenos from returning to the ravaged sector. Not that it would do a whole hellof a lot of good he judged.

There was still a Xeno task force rampaging in the sector. Two navaltask forces were supposed to nail it, but so far had failed miserably. Hundredsof star systems had been laid to waste in their attempts to kill the aliens.Both sides were popping stars or planets like candy these days. The fleet waswhittled down to the bone. They were killing themselves trying to nail thebastards before the Xenos destroyed all life in the sector.

And in a moment they were going to pop another star, he thought as he looked at the camera showing thestern view. The ship’s hyperdrive was fully charged. The field was forming. Heknew that they had the timing right, the gravitational sensors could see thewave of energy coming towards them.

At least this one doesn’t have any life around it, he noted. Small blessings.

He stood on the bridge as the nova bomb went off behind them in the Otype star. His ship fled into hyperspace as the star went nova, tearing apartthe star system behind it and flinging the contents of the star and debris farand wide.

The star had been an anchor star for a hyperbridge. With it gone thebridge would no doubt collapse. At least, that was the intent. Burning thebridge was the only strategy they had to keep the Xenos at bay. That hadalready been done to the Stargate in the sector.

Unfortunately, it also would prevent any friendly ships from fleeingtowards them as well. There was no way to warn them either. The ansible networkwas down.

“This sucks,” the commodore growled as he stared at the plot. After amoment he straightened up and squared his shoulders and then nodded once. “Onto the next I guess.”

“I agree sir, this sucks,” the ship’s XO said with a shake of her head.

The commodore l glanced at her image and then nodded. “Set course forthe next on the list.”

“Aye aye sir.”

~~~<{[   ]}>~~~

In the OO114-4 Hyper Bridge

 

Captain Christina Archer was staring at the Omicron sector map,wondering where the safest place to deposit her chicks were when the shiptrembled. She looked up in alarm, Fortune LV was a Mayflower XXXclass titan colony ship. Ships that size didn’t just shimmy without somethingvery bad going wrong.

“Report,” she barked as she straightened up and stood. Her back andneck bugged her but she ignored the pangs of pain.

“The hyperbridge is collapsing!” the urgent voice from the ship’s thirdofficer said over the intercom. “Skipper we need you up here”! He said.

“On my way,” the captain said as she took off through her hatch andheaded to the bridge. Fortunately it was a short jaunt. Her hand slipped intoher jacket pocket and pulled out a scrunchy. She used the rubber band to tieher blond hair back in a pony tail as she got through the hatch and onto herbridge.

The ship shuddered again as she grabbed her chair. Horace turned at herarrival and jumped out of the way.

“We need to get through the wall or the bridge will collapse aroundus,” the navigator warned urgently from the overhead speakers.

“What will happen to us if it does?” a tech asked.

“Nothing good,” the navigator warned.

“Helm, alter course to port. Get us out of the bridge now,” the captainbarked as she settled into the hot seat. “Warn all hands to brace for massiveturbulence,” she ordered.

“We’ve got red lights on four node rings,” the engineering tech warned.

“It is going to get a lot worse once we hit the wall,” the helmsmanmuttered. “Taking her in,” she stated flatly.

“Set beacon to follow and relay. Then emergency stations people!” thecaptain stated firmly as she settled herself into her chair. There were someflickering lights and then a panel went down. The tech there cursed, tried to  get it back up but failed. She moved over toa vacant station rather than stare at a dead board.

The captain nodded in brief approval and then she was intent on savingher ship and convoy as the walls of the hyperbridge began to collapse aroundthem.

~~~<{[   ]}>~~~