Wrong Place, Right Time (Hornet Strike)

[Crash Calestorm 0]

Starbase Harrington

April 15, 2261

 

If she wasn’t on bridge duty, in meetings, working out, eating, sleeping or dealing with the day to day duties of starship command, Captain Calestorm was ‘escaping’ in Hornet 20.

 

With the Comanche Creek docked at Starbase Harrington, starfighter and heavy assault shuttle patrols from the base and starship out in force, the TDY extended until further notice and the USS Little Robe Creek inbound to further bolster the reinforcements, the Harrington sectors were as secure as they were going to get. Or at least as secure as they could be following a failed attack on the sector and Federation border space.

 

After clearing the flight route with both Harrington FOPS and Comanche Creek FOPS per regs, Crash had launched out from the hanger bay with little fanfare; no buzzing the ‘Creek, no buzzing the Harrington control tower and she’d even bypassed the USS Ibn Daud, the Saladin-class vessel usually attached to the base and commanded by an old acquaintance who’d probably have no problem at all with a little buzz action.

 

Why pray tell was she behaving? Indeed.

 

Starfleet Command, the Border Patrol, Harrington Base and the surrounding sectors were on edge. Several high level officer types were inbound or already on site for joint division meetings to observe and discuss the situation firsthand. Now wasn’t the time for shenanigans and someone would definitely have her hide if she got overly cute with any flybys right now.

 

Mind you, you couldn’t spit and not hit a security patrol. In addition the communications channels were pretty vibrant with civilian cargo haulers chattering about what had happened, with rumors and facts flying. What all the rumors and truth came down to was the pleasure ship disappeared months ago and showed up again converted to a roving nuke. Whoever had access to that sort of firepower and personnel to pull the job off and then capable of launching was not a force to be taken likely.

 

And why target Harrington Starbase? And was it the real target at all?

 

Cale wasn’t trying to be insulting, but there were other more tangible Federation and allied targets that could have been singled out. What made the Harrington base sectors so special? Aside from the Widows Run access point that had been employed for years by smugglers and pirates to gain access to the mainstream sectors, what made it such a hot spot now? No pun intended, of course.

 

The patrols that she passed gave a dip of the wings in greeting and she returned the gesture. Hornet 20 was performing fine and she enjoyed the freedom but kept a watchful eye as always. Jigging the control stick and arcing her starfighter away from the base, she settled in for a two hour self-patrol.

 

 

****

At one hour and twenty minutes, Calestorm slowed as she neared the original Harrington Base.

 

Established in 2163, the free-orbital structure had been based off of a mining platform and was located opposite the sector from Widows Run. The orbital base had been retained as an automated listening and security post and an as needed training site for the jarheads and fighter jocks assigned to Harrington. Taking some time, she slowly worked her way among the platforms nooks and crannies, admiring the old-school build reminiscent of the NX-starship era. Those had been the days when the space frontier had been wild and it took a certain type of crew to handle the pressures of deep space exploration.

 

What in the Hell?

 

Two craft exploded out from under the outpost, abouts from where the launch pads would be. She caught flashes of matte-charcoal colored plating as the two turned, burned and bugged out.

 

Crash didn’t hesitate and immediately punched it, taking up pursuit and surging forward in a burst of vapor trail. She quickly activated the ‘all wireless’ access to the starbase, starships and patrols in the area. With her tone clipped and professional she reported, “This is Hornet 20, in pursuit of what appears to be an Eee Cee shuttle and a mutli-role fighter, unknown configurations or affiliation. Reque--”

 

The shuttle exploded, cutting Calestorm off in mid-report. She cursed and tried to avoid the fire and shrapnel splatter incoming.

 

The starfighter shuddered and internal alerts sounded seconds later. The damage was minimal, but the left engine was a flame out. Reacting quickly, she cut off the fuel supply to the engine and compensated with the still functional right engine and maneuvering thrusters.

 

“Hornet 20, this is Harrington Base. Repeat that.”

 

With Hornet 20 hovering at an angle from the damage, she punched the inside of the canopy in frustration and then replied over the wireless. “Harrington, this is Hornet 20. The shuttle scratched with no exchange of fire; I’ve taken hits from the debris. Unknown fighter is rabbiting.”

 

“Be advised that a Harrington patrol is inbound to your position.”

 

As if on cue three Strike Eagle star fighters screamed past her broken bird - well, since sound doesn’t travel in space the birds didn’t scream past so much as zoom past - in pursuit of the fleeing bogie but Crash knew it was already long gone.

 

“Well…damn.”

 

A part of her really wanted to join the Eagles in the pursuit.

 

Dejected captain was dejected.