Read Major (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 5) for Free Online Page B

course?” the CO asked in a calm voice.
    “No, Ma’am.  Just speeding up.  Passing .35c now.”
    If the target hadn’t changed course, then it probably had not detected the CT-83.  It was more likely that it was building up speed to enter bubble space, probably thinking it was out of range of detection and reaction from the two other Confed ships.
    “Guns?” she asked.
    “We are within range of the D-88.  At the targets relative speed, the torp won’t reach her.
    “Scale back the D-88 to 40%, Guns,” she ordered immediately.
    That took Ryck by surprise.  Marines were trained to hit and hit hard.  The Confed captain was going to lessen the effectiveness of her main weapon, obviously in an attempt to disable the vessel rather than destroy it.  She had to be thinking about the possibility of hostages aboard.  That was ballsy, Ryck had to admit, and he personally approved of it, even if it exponentially increased the risk to the CT-83 .  If there were hostages aboard, those were living, breathing people, fellow citizens of her, even if their government had officially written them off.
    “Firing data entered,” the gunnery officer said calmly.
    “Fire,” was the captain’s immediate response.
    The CT-83 didn’t have any of the high-tech displays as on a Federation vessel, no beam of colored light simulating the reach of an energy weapon.  One minute, the screens showed nothing, and then next, a target appeared.
    “Direct hit.  I’m showing no propulsion, but intact interior power.  There are bio-readings registering,” the DCO [4] said as her screens lit up with the flood of incoming data now that the target’s cloaking was knocked out.
    Ryck looked to Bill, and they both nodded with grudging respect.  Her gamble had seemingly paid off.  With the D-88 at 40%, it seemed to have been powerful enough to knock out the cloaking and the propulsion, but not strong enough to destroy the ship and kill everyone on board.  That was an amazing tightrope act.  On a Federation ship, the separation between propulsion and cloaking, which were on the outside of the ship, and the inner life-support shields, was razor thin, so for the captain to manage to hit that sweet spot on an unknown vessel was impressive.
    With the target now on the display, the distance between the two vessels was indicated:  9,408 km.  But the target was still heading out at .38c.  Ryck didn’t know what the CT-83 could do before hitting bubble space, but it couldn’t be much faster than that.
    “Guns, what do we have on the D-88?”
    “Twenty-three percent, ma’am, and recharging.  We will be up to full charge within two minutes,” the gunnery officer answered.
    Bill gave Ryck a hard elbow, but Ryck had already noted that.  This was real Intel.  The D-88, even when firing at less than 100%, still took two to three minutes to recharge.  The bigger capital ships had different energy weapons, but the D-88 was still on many vessels, and this was a good piece of Intel.
    “Bring it up to 100%.  If the target renews propulsion or if we become targeted by their weapons systems, fire.  Do not wait for my order,” Lieutenant Commander Nuzzi ordered.
    “Lieutenant Kinkelly, I want that deca ready to go as soon as we are within reasonable crossover distance.  And I want you with them.  I’m not taking anything away from Chief Masterson, but I want you to take command.  Better get going now, Caesar, if you’re going to get suited up.”
    “Yes, ma’am!” the excited lieutenant junior grade almost shouted as he bolted from the bridge.
    Ryck winced at the idea of putting a navy officer in charge of an army boarding party.  He was sure the Army chief warrant officer would be none too happy about that.
    “Nav, turn off cloaking and bring us up,” she made one last order before starting in on her nails again.
    By firing the D-88, the CT-83 had given her position away, so there was no use keeping the cloaking up.  It took away