The Alienbutt Saga, Book 1. War of the Coffee Bean. Part 18.

CHAPTER 7
Outnumbered but never Outgunned.

INTERSTELLAR NEWS CHANNEL 9 NEWS FLASH
Attacks on the distribution system of coffee have increased it was revealed today in a report by the Coffee Houses. It is thought an extremist anti-coffee group have started on a campaign to disrupt the supply of the bean on which seventy seven percent of the Federation’s population depend. As the coffee bean shortages worsen, the Coffee Houses have increased emergency supplies to those species affected with the worst withdrawal symptoms.

Wickede flew through the battlefield, five other Ick fighters followed in tight formation. They destroyed any robot fighters that came into their path. The second enemy fleet had joined the battle, but before Wickede’s fleet had been overwhelmed, the Fo’c’sle had arrived, slamming into the battle like a sledgehammer. Commander Kali’s fleet was the most devastating battle fleet in the galaxy, but even with them joining the battle, Wickede could see they were being slowly beaten. Flying around a drifting cruiser, they saw one of the Fo’c’sle dreadnoughts, heavily damaged, coming under attack from four of the enemy cruisers closing in for the kill.
“If you’ve still got torpedoes follow me, the rest keep the fighters at bay,” ordered Wickede.
Two fighters followed him as the other three split off, clearing the way of robot fighters.
“One torpedo each at the middle engine exhaust, then on to the next,” Wickede said as he started the attack run. The dreadnought and cruisers continued to exchange heavy fire, battering each other. Finally one of the cruiser’s shields buckled and the next round of shots ripped it apart. The Ick fighters came up behind the first of the cruisers and fired their torpedoes, moving onto the next before they even hit. When the torpedoes did hit the cruiser’s exhaust, they caused massive explosions that led to a chain reaction, and the cruiser disappeared in a ball of flame. The second cruiser suffered the same fate from the Ick torpedoes, while the last of the attacking cruisers fell to the damaged dreadnought’s still devastating firepower. A fresh swarm of robot fighters swooped in and the fighter next to Wickede was hit. It dropped away in flames, spinning uncontrollably until it finally exploded.
On board the saved dreadnought, Captain Garcia ordered all non-essential crew to abandon ship, using impulse power as he channelled what energy he had left to his shields and limped his ship on to new targets.

Snoodgrass got back to his feet as the latest set of explosions to rock the ship subsided.
“Damage report Mr. Rochester, and someone put out that fire.” He indicated a computer console that had exploded, and flames were just starting to take hold.
As the security officer ran over to put out the fire Mr. Rochester checked the screen in front of him. A heavily damaged enemy cruiser had just tried to ram the Ick flag ship. They had managed to avoid a head-on collision but the ship had still ripped out a large section of the lower decks. Still more of the cruisers closed in, ready to concentrate fire on the damaged dreadnought.
“It appears we have a hull breach on floors one and two, section five to fifteen. Also we have lost all port thrusters and the shields are down to forty percent.” Mr. Rochester stood waiting for Snoodgrass to give the only order he could; already the enemy cruisers were beginning to open fire.
No match for the Ick dreadnoughts, they were relying on sheer numbers to overwhelm the Ick, taking terrible losses in the process.
“Give the order to abandon ship. Transfer all bridge controls to the pilot chair.” He walked over to the pilot, and placing his hand on his shoulder said quietly for him to go. As Snoodgrass sat in the chair the bridge staff began to file out to the escape pods.
“Mr. Rochester, you had better get a move on, the shields are now down to thirty percent.”
Mr. Rochester still stood at his post, showing no sign of quitting. “I’m afraid I can’t transfer weapons control sir, it must be a malfunction caused by the damage. I will have to stay and control them from here.”
Snoodgrass fastened the safety belt before he turned his head and grinned. “I hope you shoot better than you lie then, Mr. Rochester. Please fasten your safety belt, as I feel we may have some turbulence, and then let’s get this tub up to ramming speed. Fire all weapons when ready Mr. Rochester, let’s go crash into that cruiser over there.”
The Ick flagship turned and began to accelerate towards Snoodgrass’s indicated target, while its weapons opened fire for a final time.

Captain Noble had gathered the surviving bounty hunters together. They numbered only eight, although she still held out the hope that Jack Lantern was out there somewhere still fighting. The hunters had formed up around the mini frigate of the slightly crazy Captain William Skullcrusher. His ship was built around a large taceon cannon that left little energy for his shields when used, but was causing massive damage to the cruisers. The fact that the cannons had a reputation for overheating and exploding with prolonged use didn’t seem to bother Skullcrusher as he cursed and screamed, firing at any enemy ships that came within sight. The other bounty hunters protected his ship while trying to keep a safe distance, just in case the ship did self-destruct.

Nifty flew through a hole blown clear through a dreadnought, the ship drifted lifelessly. Behind her the robot fighters followed. She flew clear of the wreck with the robots’ ships just behind, still firing, trying to bring down the Ick fighter. Blackarachnia flew in from ahead of Nifty and within moments the robot fighters became just more scrap metal floating in the battlefield. As he turned his fighter, he noticed the first flash of a ship jumping from light speed, quickly followed by others, a great many others in fact. Spinning his ship over to avoid a stray torpedo, he saw Wickede’s flagship, battered and burning, heading on a collision course with a cruiser, its forward guns still firing. He hoped Snoodgrass had got clear but had no more time to spare, as more robot fighters swept at him. Realising there were too many and they had him cold this time, he started to swear. A large black ship swept down, guns blazing; the robot fighters that it didn’t destroy with firepower, it just smashed straight through. Not even slowing its flight, the newcomer homed in on Wickede’s dreadnought. Its weapons fired again, targeting the cruiser it was heading towards to ram, but it was too late; the two ships collided and explosions ripped through the front of the Ick flagship. flagship. Swerving out of the way of the exploding ships, the new arrival headed back towards Blackarachnia, who sat bemused, the battle momentarily forgotten. He recognised the ship, sleek and about half the size of a dreadnought, and from watching the way the pilot was throwing it around like a fighter ship, he knew the pilot. Heading back towards him, the ship suddenly opened fire and Blackarachnia sensed explosions behind him. His com-link came to life.
“Watch your back Blackarachnia, or Nifty will have my ears.”

To be continued.
Thanks for reading, all images are mine.