"Jane Lindskold - Endpoint Insurance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lindskold Jane)

holding the dangerous post directly in front. Later IтАЩd learn that an engineer had been
killed. Even as the energy weapon did its worst, the nameless pirateтАЩs gunnery tubes
belched forth slower, but more deadly missiles. Energy fire from our own side
caught these before they could reach their destination, but I saw that the missiles had
been meant merely as a distraction.
On one side of the pirate vessel the enormous bay doors began slowly sliding open.
My tactical masters had been ready for something like this. As briefed, I thumbed a
pre-coded message from the MercuryтАЩs board, jamming the doors long enough for a
barrage from a couple of the prospectorsтАЩ digging lasers to ruin them beyond use.
Our unarmed ships were maintaining a jamming screen, making it impossible for the
pirate ship to call on others of its ilk for help-if any others were near. Based on our
pooled observations we thought this unlikely, but still the possibility could not be
overlooked.
Having given the pirate a chance to surrender without a fight, now our side attacked.
Only four of our outlaw fleet had proved to be heavily armed-all of these mining
ships, which could conceal armaments as digging lasers or more domestic
explosives. A few other of the outlawsтАЩ ships possessed light lasers, these meant
more for meteor defense than for battle. Each ship had been assigned its target in
advance-points plotted out and selected by tight-beam communication from the
moment I sent out an image of our target.
Beneath our initial barrage, the pirate vessel seemed to rock. Burning air gouted forth
from several breached compartments; scanner readings showed a loss of power
from various systems.
Still, the pirate hulk held up remarkably well. None of the systems we had targeted
had been completely destroyed. Engine power remained strong. Even as our ships
danced in evasion of expected retaliation, the MercuryтАЩs scanners reported that
backup systems were coming on-line all over the pirate ship.
In this initial attack, it had been to our fleetтАЩs advantage that the Mercury had been
able to scout ahead, to our advantage as well that none of our number believed we
could take a pirate vessel without coordinated effort and planning. In that way, our
small flotilla was wiser than marines and militia, for these often underestimated their
opponents.
I bit my lip in growing desperation, speaking more to myself than to Spike:
тАЬWe canтАЩt keep this up for long. None of our ships has the power to keep firing and
we donтАЩt have a warshipтАЩs armory. If we donтАЩt take the pirate out soon, it will get
away and leave us to do the explaining when the black ships arrive.тАЭ
тАЬThe pirates donтАЩt know that,тАЭ Spike said suddenly.
HeтАЩd been rather quiet since the real fighting had started, though heтАЩd had plenty to
say while the outlaw fleet assembled-some of it useful, too.
тАЬWhat?тАЭ I asked.
тАЬThe pirates donтАЩt know that,тАЭ Spike repeated with emphasis. тАЬThey might suspect
our capacities are limited, but not those hop-headed Absolutist fanatics. They arenтАЩt
going to want to see their treasured Absolute blown into oblivion. CanтАЩt youтАжтАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm right with you,тАЭ I said, hands surging over my boards as I worked up
something that would splice into the pirate shipтАЩs intercom system and override any
other messages. тАЬSpike, get on another channel and tell our fleet to prepare for
another strike. DonтАЩt worry about being overheard. It might be better if we were.тАЭ
Spike nodded, and moments later I could hear him snapping out orders to the
others. WeтАЩd all hoped that weтАЩd never need fire a shot, but not one of us had been
so optimistic that we didnтАЩt plan for a fight. As we hadnтАЩt lost a ship-though there