Hunter Legacy 12: Hero in Darkness Read online

  Hero in Darkness

  By Timothy Ellis

  The Hunter Legacy, Book Twelve

  Copyright © 2016, by Timothy Ellis

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and events are fictional and have no relationship to any real person, place or event. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely co-incidental.

  The author has taken the liberty of using some recognizable names in a historical context or projected into the future as if such entities survive into the timeframe of this work of fiction. Such references are intended solely as a tribute to the entity so used and all such usage has an intended deep respect. The author has also deliberately chosen names for characters in tribute to the science fiction genre in all forms of media. Some may be obvious, others won't be. There is no implied connection, other than what the reader may make for themselves.

  The author is Australian and the main characters in this book are of Australian origin. In Australia, we colour things slightly differently, so you may notice some of the spelling is different. Please don't be alarmed. If you do suffer any discomfort, please take it out on the nearest pirate.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without the written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contents

  Contents

  Dramatis Personae

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty One

  Twenty Two

  Twenty Three

  Twenty Four

  Twenty Five

  Twenty Six

  Twenty Seven

  Twenty Eight

  Twenty Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty One

  Thirty Two

  Thirty Three

  Thirty Four

  Thirty Five

  Thirty Six

  Thirty Seven

  Thirty Eight

  Thirty Nine

  Forty

  Forty One

  Forty Two

  Forty Three

  Forty Four

  Forty Five

  Forty Six

  Forty Seven

  Forty Eight

  Forty Nine

  Fifty

  Fifty One

  Fifty Two

  Fifty Three

  Fifty Four

  Fifty Five

  Fifty Six

  Fifty Seven

  Fifty Eight

  Fifty Nine

  Hunter Ranks

  Sector Map

  Acknowledgements

  A Message to my Readers

  Also by Timothy Ellis

  Dramatis Personae

  Jonathon Hunter – Duke of Hunter's Run, Duke of Norfolk, Owner of Hunter's Security (Mercenary Force), Admiral **** in five Space Forces.

  Jane – Artificial Intelligence, with unique Primary Avatar. Colonel. Cloned to many ships and stations, with many secondary avatars.

  Angel – Jon's Lilac Point Siamese Cat.

  Jeeves – Jon's personal butler droid.

  Smith's Alpha Team

  Annabelle Smith – Lieutenant General **.

  Amanda Peck – Lieutenant Colonel, Joint CO Team One.

  Aleesha Peck – Amanda's twin - Lieutenant Colonel, Joint CO Team One.

  BA – Anne Baracas - Command Sergeant Major – Combat Leader.

  George Murdock – Commander – Captain of HS Marine Assault Super-Cruiser Fearless.

  Alison Vogane – Major – Team admin and medic.

  Abigail Weaver – Senior Sergeant – Coms and Tech.

  Aline Takai – Sergeant – Gunner and Squad Leader – Jon's unofficial girlfriend.

  Agatha Merritt - Sergeant - Gunner and Squad Leader.

  Alana Henquist - Sergeant – Demolitions.

  Grace Tapping – Flight Officer – Dropship Pilot.

  Hunter's Run/Hunter Security

  Amy Allen – Hunter Media Controller. Ex-Journalist.

  Annette Bronson – Commander – Captain of HS Super-Cruiser Defiant.

  Melissa Gordon – Lightning Courier Pilot.

  Daniel O'Neil – Fleet Admiral * - Captain of HS Pocket Battleship John Wayne.

  Richard (Dick) Burnside – Colonel – Hunter's Run Chief of Security. Ex-Detective Earth Sector.

  David Tollin – Earl – Hunter's Run Administrator – Ambassador to Australian sector.

  Algernon Lacey – Group Captain – Captain of HS Corvette Camel – CO of Hunter Fighter Forces.

  Alexander Brown – Wing Commander – CO HS 266 Squadron.

  Tom Jones - Flight Lieutenant. 266 Squadron.

  Warren Taylor - Flight Lieutenant. 266 Squadron.

  Gavin Williams - Flight Lieutenant. 266 Squadron.

  Doctor Elisabeth Carter – Colonel – CO Hunter Medical.

  Jillian (Jill) Carter – daughter of Elisabeth Carter.

  Jack O'Neill – Colonel – CO Hunter Marine Corp.

  Samantha Jackman-O'Neill – Major – CO Team Six

  Gaia

  Fleet Captain Hunter – Jon's father – Captain GS Galactica.

  Mrs. Hunter – Jon's mother.

  Australian Sector

  Walter Harriman – General **** – Australian Militia Commander.

  Bob Derr – Sydney Shipyard owner.

  Richard Hurndall – Hunter Trading Cruiser freighter Captain.

  British Sector

  Susan Bentley - Rear Admiral (UH) ** - CO Battleship Repulse – Detached Duty.

  James Bigglesworth - Space Marshall **** - Commander British Fleet.

  Aiden Hobbs – Major General ** - CO SAS Battalion.

  American Sector

  Darius Jedburgh – Admiral **** – ASF Commander Dallas.

  Chet Hallington – Rear Admiral (UH) ** – Admiral in Command of ASF Carrier Yorktown.

  Ron Greer – Commander – CO ASF Gunbus Squadron.

  Miriam Young – Commander – CO ASF Excalibur Wing – Jon's Ex-Lover.

  General Patton **** - American Joint Chiefs.

  Sci-Fi Sector

  Vonda Wellington - Lieutenant General ***, SFSF, Midgard Military Governor.

  General Price **** - SFSF Commander.

  Canadian Sector

  Aidan Tremblay, Admiral **** - Canadian Military leader.

  Japanese Sector

  Rear Admiral Sato * – CO JDF Gunbus Squadron.

  Artificial Intelligence - Clones of Jane

  Janet – Redoubt Behemoth AI.

  D-Jane – Detective Jane – aged mid-forties.

  JW – John Wayne AI.

  Other Beings

  Kali – Indian Deity.

  Thirteen – Avatar of a Dark Matter Nebulae.

  Max – Thirteen's Seal Point Siamese Cat – Brother of Angel.

  Nut – Grace's Ginger Cat.

  Death – Avatar of the Death system's sun.

  Ships

  Redoubt – Battle-station – Behemoth class ship.

  BigMother – Hunter Security Command Carrier. Formerly Midway Class Escort Carrier. Formally Junk Heap One. Docks Unassailable and four Guardians underneath.

  Unassailable – Hive Battleship.

  Hive – Twelve medium Dron
e fighters, linked to perform as a single ship.

  Guardian – Drone Pocket Battleship.

  John Wayne – Pocket Battleship – Class ship.

  General Custer – Marine Assault Frigate.

  Galactica – Original Explorer ship – Upgraded to Super Cruiser all-purpose role.

  Enterprise – Original Explorer ship – Upgraded to Super Cruiser all-purpose role.

  Prometheus – Original Explorer ship – Upgraded to Super Cruiser all-purpose role.

  Relentless – Dreadnaught.

  Dauntless – Dreadnaught.

  Fearless – Marine Assault Super-Cruiser.

  Defiant – Super-Cruiser.

  Crusader – Super-Destroyer.

  Preserver – Re-tasked Midway class Escort Carrier. Formerly Junk Heap Two.

  Deliverer - Re-tasked Midway class Escort Carrier. Formerly Junk Heap Three.

  Homer – Marine Assault Cruiser – On loan to HS from owner Jack O'Neill.

  Bonko's Club – Marine Assault Cruiser – Attached HS forces. Owned by Bonko.

  Yorktown – ASF Super Carrier.

  Gunbus – Corvette Class.

  Excalibur – Privateer Class.

  Camel – Corvette class, but upgraded to Gunbus class.

  Python – Dropship Class (Fighter size).

  Cobra – Dropship Class (Corvette size).

  Centurion – Privateer Class.

  Mustang – Privateer Class.

  Hurndalls Stallion – Cruiser Freighter.

  Gorilla – Excalibur class, owned by George.

  Nightshade – Mustang class, owned by Annette.

  Lightning – Courier class.

  Starman – Greer's Gunbus.

  Stiletto – Miriam's Excalibur.

  Author's notes:

  There are discrepancies between rank names and the number of stars indicated. This is intentional, showing differences between the rank structure of Hunter Security and Sector militaries. The Japanese Defense Force for example, only has three Flag Officer ranks, where most have four or five. In particular, Hunter Security Lieutenant General is a two star rank, and Major General is a three star rank, where most militaries have them the other way around. Fleet Admiral in Hunter Security is the same as a Rear Admiral Lower Half in other militaries.

  The Privateer class is a long range Heavy Fighter. Normal Heavy Fighters require a Carrier to land on.

  Pocket Battleships are a Cruiser hull, but with two Battleship turrets. The John Wayne class are manned, the Guardian class are Drones. The Super classes are multiple ships of the same class, joined to form a single larger ship.

  One

  "Down jump!" yelled Jane suddenly. "Damn, it's big!"

  I'd been caught flatfooted, looking back and chatting with Aline, as we tried to keep each other's spirits up. We'd been camped out at the Death jump point for two weeks now, and just about everyone was going stir crazy.

  I hastily swiveled my chair forward, grasped the flight controls, jerked the triggers, and held them down. Only then did I register just how big what was coming at us was. The entire view screen was immediately filled with something monstrous.

  I yanked the speed control into full reverse, and BigMother started to move backwards. But it was a fraction of our full forward speed, and we were never going to escape.

  The full broadside of every gun and missile which could point forward, hit the massive shape bearing down on us, and there was major damage to its hull, with bits breaking off and going in all directions.

  "Not possible!" yelled Dick.

  There seemed to be a big hole in the front of whatever it was, but underneath was more of the same.

  The Destroyer guns and missile launchers fired again, with the same result.

  I thought I'd had a pretty good idea of how the Darkness was crossing the Death system, but never in my most deluded imaginings could I have come up with what they had used. And I not only had no idea what it was, I had no time to even think about it.

  The Cruiser guns fired again, with a third round of missiles.

  But it was too late.

  Thousands of beams of light shot out from the behemoth bearing down on us, and our shields went down fifty percent in one hit.

  "Holy shit!" yelled Jane, looking terrified for the first time I'd ever seen. "That was more than one hundred thousand guns."

  There simply wasn’t any point in reacting to something so ridiculous.

  The Battleship guns and missiles fired again, and this time it was point blank range. We did serious damage to the behemoth, but most of the debris impacted against our shields, and they went down to twenty percent.

  There was nowhere to go.

  The behemoth smashed into us, the shields went down, the secondary shields went down, and the front end of BigMother embedded itself deep inside the other vessel.

  "Sorry Jon," said Thirteen beside me. "Time to go."

  He vanished.

  I looked around the Bridge, seeing the stark terror in everyone's eyes, and for one last moment, locked my eyes on Aline.

  The Darkness took us.

  Two

  Way to go my Hunter son,

  You'll ascend when you get done,

  You don’t have the time to rest,

  Better cry right now.

  There's no point to all the noise and confusion,

  Just to understand this all is illusion,

  Wipe away your fears of fighting,

  Death's a step away;

  Though you think you see, your eyes are deceiving,

  Though you act for all, you still aren't believing,

  You hear our voices when we need you,

  You can hear us say,

  Way to go my Hunter son,

  You'll ascend when you get done,

  You don’t have the time to rest,

  Better cry right now.

  There was the sound of a needle being pushed roughly over the grooves of a vinyl record, and the song ended abruptly. It sounded a bit like fingernails down a chalkboard. I flinched.

  I glared at Jane, as I recalled the sound came from Ally McBeal, and realized she was telling me without words she didn’t like my creation.

  I’d spent days on getting a rewording which worked. I’d had the song on the brain for six months now, and being close to out of my gourd in frustration and worry, I'd kept myself busy by editing the song. I'd thought I’d done a pretty good job, especially since it was my first attempt at audio editing.

  I looked around the Bridge. They were still cringing. For a moment I thought it was because of the last sound, but I realized most of them didn’t know what a vinyl record was, let alone what the sound had been, or even what a chalk board was. They were cringing from the song itself.

  "It wasn’t that bad," I said.

  Jane saved anyone from answering.

  "Contact. Death jump point. Damn, it's big!"

  And so it begins.

  She had everyone's attention immediately. We'd been sitting here in the Pestilence system for two weeks, waiting for this very moment, and when it occurred, we'd all been caught flat footed. My fault, I’d been trying to cheer everyone up. Well I’d been trying to cheer me up, and hopefully everyone else. The system itself was normally lethal to ship crews, and just sitting here doing nothing for two weeks had almost been too much for us all. The stress was killing us. Not the least of which was it only needed something to go wrong, and the system would kill us.

  But strange as it seemed, none of us could stay away from the Bridge for too long. I'd even had a bed put in my Ready Room, and George was sitting the center seat while I got a few hours shuteye at irregular intervals, so that a pilot had the controls if something really bad happened really fast. He'd actually begged me to let him be here, as he was supposed to be on his own ship.

  "Tactical."

  There was a series of specially shielded comnavsats all around the jump point, but not too close. The nightmares I'd been sharing with Amanda and Aleesha
hadn't contained much actual information, and we needed as much as we could get, as fast as we could get it.

  The navmap expanded to show only the Death jump point. There was only one ship showing, and for now it was registering as a station.

  "Bloody Hell!" exclaimed Dick.

  He was ignoring the navmap and looking out through the central view screen. Everyone followed his gaze.

  "That’s enormous," said Grace, stating the very obvious.

  Whatever it was, it was enormous. We could see it with the unaided eye, and we were only a third the way across the system from the Famine jump point. Score one for the nightmare. The first black dot was indeed big enough to see.

  "I hope that’s not a ship," said George, coming in late from a bed in the conference room.

  He glared at Grace, she reluctantly rose from the Helm position, and let him have the seat there, moving to an empty one further back. He outranked her by a lot, and was a much more experienced pilot that her. Besides, we'd already planned this. If something happened to me, I wanted an experienced pilot at the Helm. Jane could still fly the ship, but something might happen to her too.

  "Jane, the Eagle has Landed."

  "Confirmed."

  This was the prearranged signal she was sending AI to AI, to inform the rest of our fleet that something had come through the jump point. We weren't in real time range, given some of the peculiarities of the Pestilence system. They would be getting the same nav map we were, slightly delayed, but the signal was confirmation in case they didn’t.

  "Message received."

  There was sticking your neck out, and there was hanging out over a precipice on a too thin branch. Being here was a huge gamble, and whatever happened, the fleet needed every scrap of data we collected, in case the branch snapped on us.

  "Did that just…" started Amanda.

  It had, and there wasn’t any point in finishing the sentence. Now there were two dots on the navmap, and a second large shape was showing in the distance, although it wasn’t quite as large.

  "Did that thing just divide in two?" asked BA.

  "I don’t think so," answered Jane. "The second one doesn’t have anywhere near the same mass."