Highway to the Danger Zone

[Brian Graham 0]

Chief of Security’s Duty Log

Lt. Cmdr. Brian Graham Recording

USS Excalibur

Stardate 200603.14

 

The burned out surface of the planet seemed to take up the entire window of the cockpit and was becoming more defined every second. Proximity alarms started going off and the computer reminded him that the fighter would collide with the unyielding ground in six seconds. What it didn’t tell him, it didn’t need to, he knew this part already, that there were two enemy fighters behind him, and one of them probably lining up for a positive shot right this second. That meant the computer was underestimating his and Helios’ death by five seconds. Oh well, sometimes it was better for the computer to remain ignorant.

 

Enough thought about that, Brian brought all power available power to the inertial dampeners so they could stay conscious as pulled the fighter out of the dive. A few seconds too late, as the dampeners didn’t compensate completely, and his stomach embedded itself in one of his toes. No matter, two explosions erupted from the surface in front and on each side of the fighter, sending up shrapnel of scorched earth which dissipated once they hit the fighter’s shields as it skimmed the ground.

 

Speaking of shields, Brian remembered, taking the power he had borrowed a few seconds earlier for the inertial dampeners and shunting it back to the shields. He wasn’t sure how much more protection they would really provide, as the fighter had taken a few glancing hits already, and those buggers were still behind them.

 

Brian weaved through the wreckage of what had been a city, the population of which had been unknown, but now definitely had settled down to zero. Hulks of buildings, some more intact than others, became obstacles to weave through. Sometimes an energy bolt shot past the fighter and impacted one, sending the last of the structure exploding into microparticles. Brian was glad they were hitting buildings, since the alternative would be unpleasant.

 

He wasn’t sure how long this had gone on. These things breaking off from an unidentified ship and coming after them had seemed like days ago, but Brian knew that wasn’t correct. Three minutes was probably more like it. Two of those minutes were spent chasing these guys amidst the clouds. Of course, they had come out of one cloud mass and Brian couldn’t see them. The impact registered to the shields gave the update that the attackers were in fact behind them, and after a few unsuccessful attempts to try use the same trick against them, they hadn’t fell for it. So, Brian went against all common sense and took the fight lower, down toward the deck. Naturally, this was also where the radiation was at the highest levels, so this trick was getting old too.

 

Heat, sweat, and slight nausea told him that maybe the radiation was too high, or that last barrel roll wasn’t a good idea. Either way, they needed altitude. Brian pitched up seventy degrees, and set the throttle to maximum, climbing as fast as mechanically possible. More energy flying past, they were still with him.

 

A slight drop in speed clued him in that gravity still worked on this planet. They’d break out of it at these speeds, but they still lost some of their momentum as the planet’s pull tried to compete. The fighter got a slight sustained vibration as Brian continued to tax the engines for whatever they could give.

 

It’s an old one, but it may work.

 

Old? It’s the oldest!

 

There’s no point in not trying it!

 

Forget it!!

 

You don’t know anything!

 

And you do?!

 

Brian’s brain seemed to argue with itself unceasingly. They were both right. Maybe gravity would slow them down enough, fast enough, and hopefully the opposing courses wouldn’t intersect, and the engines would get their speed back to normal fast enough, and they would be shot to pieces before he could put it into action. Entering another cloud mass, better get it over with. Brian hit the clouds pulled back, cut the engines, and engaged the emergency flaps, hoping to see two engine wakes shoot through the clouds past them.