Tarizon, Conquest Earth, Tarizon Trilogy Vol 3 Page 12

Bright laser blasts shot out from four of Earth’s Destiny turrets. Humanities Hope was closest and sustained two consecutive hits that shook the large ship violently. It accelerated quickly away, trying to get out of range, but before it could, two more blasts hit it. Invincible and Relentless were also hit and quickly driven off. Soon all the ships had maneuvered out of range, and Earth’s Destiny’s cannons fell silent.

  “All right,” Rossi said. You know what comes next. Is the shield generator fully charged?”

  “Eighty-nine percent,” Paalo advised.

  “How long until it’s fully charged?”

  “Just a couple of loons.”

  Rossi took a deep breath and looked up at the attack cruisers hanging high above them. He knew that at any moment they could be attacked by Fleet missiles. If the generator wasn’t ready to project its ion shield by then, they’d be blown all the way to Tarizon.

  “We don’t have much time,” Rossi warned.

  “Ninety-three percent.”

  An alarm began to sound. “Multiple missiles have locked on. Twenty-one tiks to impact.”

  “Paalo!” Rossi shouted.

  “Ninety-seven percent . . . ninety-eight . . . ninety-nine . . . Shield up!” Paalo yelled as the sky in front of them flashed white, then red, and the ship rocked back and forth violently. There were multiple explosions and loose objects became lethal projectiles. Everyone not strapped in hit the deck to avoid being struck. After a few tiks, the ship stopped rocking and became still.

  “You think they’ll send more?” Paalo asked.

  “I don’t know. How often can we use that ion shield?” Rossi asked.

  “Once it’s powered up it’s good for twenty-five consecutive projections, but there are two backup generators, each of which can be charging while the other is in use. In theory, we could withstand an attack indefinitely.”

  “In that case, I doubt they’ll shoot at us anymore. Why waste missiles on a hopeless cause?”