Chapter 13

Cyron turned to the rest of the Doom Gaze bridge crew.

“It looks like the admiral has called our bluff” Dominion said as he leaned back in his chair.

“Who’s bluffing? Waitstate will be dead and we’ll attack LONAC with everything we have” Cyron replied. “We may not have the fire power, but the ship is makes one hell of a battering ram.”

“It’ll take every last ounce of our power to boost this ship fast enough to break through their shields. If this plan fails you know we’ll be stuck," Spire protested.

“We still have two perfectly good shuttles hidden in the cargo bay” Cyron informed Spire. “This mission must be completed or we’ll be defeated anyway. At this point no cost is too great.”

“All of this for Xaraxus” Dominion scoffed. “I’m not going to die for a wacko like him.”

“You will if that’s what it will take!” Cyron bellowed. He then calmed himself. “Besides, if we do this right, we’ve got nothing to worry about.”

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“They’ve been rather quiet for a few minutes. What do you think they’re talking about?” Sunspot asked Admiral Lilwall.

“They know I called their bluff and for once, I don’t think they can deny it” Admiral Lilwall replied.

“Admiral,” Lightning called attention to Admiral Lilwall.

“What is it Lightning?” Admiral asked impatiently.

Lightning looked at his console. “I’m reading a large power surge in the aft section of the Doom Gaze. They’re going to ram us.”

Every ounce of power was channeled to the engines of the Doom Gaze. It flew with an amazing burst of speed. Large portions of the ship began breaking off, but it continued.

“We don’t have enough time to move! Fire! Fire everything we have!” Admiral Lilwall shouted hastily.

The LSS Freedom fired all available weapon systems at the Doom Gaze. Pieces of the ship continued to fall off, but it continued at full speed. It was on a collision course, and nothing could stop it.

“Everyone, brace yourself!” Admiral Lilwall shouted.

The crew scrambled to hold onto something that was firmly bolted down. The vibrations of weapons were felt throughout the ship. Every alarm system was ringing. Shields were at maximum, but that was of little comfort. It seemed like it was longer, but it was only a few seconds later that the entire hull of the ship shook with immense force. Anything that wasn’t securely fastened flew through the ship along with a few things that were never intended to move, like the walls.

Scope rushed to his console and soon as the ship stopped shaking. “Um, Admiral, there’s uh… a security breech.”

Admiral Lilwall just scowled at Cirrus. Without question, the crew stood up and headed for the location of the breech.

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Rust and Hail filled into the Freedom after the rest of Spectral Death. Rust looked around the area. “Heh, wouldn’t you know it. The brig; there must be some kind of irony involved here.”

“Halt! Yelled a voice from outside of the room.

“Xaraxus!” Rust replied. “We thought you were one of the good guys!”

“What do you mean we?” Hail snarled.

“Well, this time you thought right!” Xaraxus shouted. He fired at both of them. “In my current state I could never take out both of you, and that will work to my advantage, again” he thought.

“Die!” Rust and Hail shouted in unison as they fired at Xaraxus. With several crushing blows, Xaraxus fell to the floor.

Aries ran into the brig and transformed to his ram mode. He rammed Rust and Hail against the wall. He backed up and transformed to robot mode.

“You okay Artifice? I can’t believe you made it to the brig so fast” Aries said as he helped Xaraxus to his feet.

“I’ll – I’ll be okay, but you’d better take care of them first” Xaraxus said as he pointed at Rust and Hail.