Read Beyond Mars Crimson Fleet for Free Online

Kuto, order the fighters to continue pursuit of
the enemy vessel, immediately!"
    Within a
minute, the three fighters broke their holding pattern and plunged
into the vent hole while reducing their speed. They were then
cautiously followed by the Gladstone .
    As
the Crazy Horse descended further and further into the vent hole, Wakinyan had
the ship's forward floodlights switched on to reveal the features
of the cavern hidden within. Finally, the ship entered a large
chamber that was in reality an immense subterranean lake surrounded
by craggy walls of rock and the blackness of an eternal underground
night. Steam rose off the illuminated boiling water, filling the
chamber with an eerie vaporous haze. What was most disturbing,
however, was the color of the water that appeared in the
floodlights—it was blood red.
    The scene
on the viewer had brought a complete halt to the activity on the
bridge of the Crazy
Horse . As each member watched, they were
all haunted by an uneasy feeling. Still the ship and crew continued
onward.
    "It sure looks like hell itself, doesn't it,"
Randall leaned over to Wakinyan and quietly spoke. I just hope we
don't run into a cave wall or something."
    "Relax, I've done this a dozen times in a shuttle,"
Wakinyan tried to comfort his friend.
    "A destroyer is much bigger and less maneuverable
than a shuttle, or haven't you noticed?" Randall restlessly pointed
out.
    "I've noticed. You remember anything about Mars'
volcanism from school?"
    "Nope, I was too busy trying to lay every girl in
sight," James stated as a matter-of-fact.
    "I'm glad you were so diligent in your studies,"
Wakinyan chuckled, knowing of Jim’s reputation with the ladies as
well as his half dozen girl friends.
    But then Richard’s tone grew serious. "This lake is
the only place on Mars where water exists as a liquid. In this
area, the core is still very molten creating a gravitational field
nearly that of the Earth’s. That’s why the atmospheric pressure
here is dense enough to keep the water liquefied. It stretches for
at least several hundred miles in underground lakes and canals.
Much of it is still unexplored. Its red color comes from the iron
oxide in the rocks. The lake system was slowly formed after the
last major eruption many thousands of years ago."
    "Like I really care," Randall replied. "What makes
it steam and boil like that?"
    Richard glanced at his friend, "The magma chamber
located beneath the lake bed. Only a small amount of rock separates
the two."
    "And if it didn't?" the lieutenant inquired.
    "Then Mars would have the largest active volcanoes
in the solar system again."
    "Let's make damn sure that doesn't happen!" James
showed his uneasiness.
    "Amen to that," Richard agreed, realizing it was
time to get back to the business of war. "Mr. Edwards, commence
your run."
    "Aye, Sir!" the navigator snapped briskly. Edwards
went back to monitoring his three navigational hologram screens
while glancing at his digital stopwatch display for timing. "Helm,
level the ship off and make heading of two-seven-five degrees,
speed twenty-four knots."
    "Ship leveled, course two-seven-five, speed
twenty-four knots, aye," the helm's man acknowledged.
    The Crazy Horse began to maneuver in the dark chamber.
    "First leg on my mark, course two-nine-zero,
speed thirty-eight knots." the navigator commanded. "Five, four,
three, two, one, mark!"
    "Course two-nine-zero, speed thirty-eight
knots, aye," the helm's man again acknowledged.
    The
bridge of the Crazy Horse began to lean as the Martian ship shifted into the
turn. The big ship came about and straightened herself easily as it
journeyed through the cavern.
    Once again the navigator guided the helm's man,
"We're in the lane and approaching the second turn. Decrease speed
to twenty-seven knots. Up angle two degrees. Come right to course
heading zero-three-one in thirty seconds."
    Suddenly, the sensor crewman yelled out a warning to
Wakinyan, "CAPTAIN, THREE EARTH FIGHTERS HAVE APPEARED ON