“That if these magnetic fields create a sensor blocking zone, how can we use our sensors?” he said.
Elvin and Lobi both lowered their arms, disappointedly frowning.
“Well, I will tell you,” GiS said. “Our top scientists and computers have figured out a way to compensate for the high magnetic field, and therefore our sensors won’t be affected. That gives us a distinct advantage.”
The frowns on Elvin and Lobi’s faces grew.
“Why weren’t we informed of this?” Lobi asked. “We could have been of assistance.”
“Because you are still cadets!” he said sternly. “No matter how smart you may be, Earth has other resources that are at least as smart as you are and have more experience. They are the ones who solved this problem. They are the best of the best. They are what you will be if you work hard and listen and don’t let your giant egos get in the way.”
Elvin and Lobi both drooped their heads. I almost felt sorry for them. For a couple of guys who were sure bright, they weren’t smart enough to see that coming.
Before they could sulk for long, though, a warning started to blare. The control room’s lights started to flash red. I don’t know who thought of this procedure. I know it’s meant to show danger is approaching, but bloop, you would think you’d want no excess noise and the best lighting possible when in danger.
“What’s wrong, SC?” K-999 asked.
“My sensors have picked up incoming ships coming from around the third planet,” SC said calmly.
“I guess our scientists weren’t the only ones to figure out how to scan through the magnetic field,” I said.
“Yes, apparently not,” GiS sighed.
“I detect six shuttle-sized ships,” SC said.
The holographic display showed six small dashes. They were on the opposite side of the third planet but getting closer to us.
“How do we know they are hostile?” Lobi asked.
“They have activated their weapon systems,” SC said.
“Maybe they are just cautious?” Lobi said.
“They have fired upon us,” SC said.
“Okay, I’ll stop talking now,” Lobi said, dropping his shoulders and holding his hands behind his back.
“What do you mean, they fired on us?” GiS said, “They are still half a planet away from us!”
“Apparently they have very good homing weapons,” SC said. “You can see them on the screen now.”
We all turned back to the view screen. Sure enough six balls of energy were screaming toward us. We all braced for impact. The balls hit. Nothing happened.
“Now that was anticlimactic, “ I said.
GiS glared at me.
“It sure was,” Kymm agreed. “The question is why?”
The lights flickered off, then back on again.
“Now that can’t be a good sign,” I said.
“It was another data attack,” SC said calmly. “They were trying to get me to drop my computer defense systems. Which is kind of ironic since my computer defenses are always down as per our agreement with the Aquarians.”
“You can read their attack?” Elvin asked.
“Yes,” SC answered. “I have learned from the defenses you installed how to do that. Of course now I have good news and bad news.”
There was a pause. Apparently SC wanted to be prompted.
“What’s the good news?” I asked, being a bright side kind of guy.
“Even if our computer systems had been on I could have easily defended against that attack but that attack was many times more sophisticated than the attack in anti-space, so our foes seem to be learning.”
“If that’s the good news, then what’s the bad?” Kymm asked.
“They are charging up a different sort of weapon. From the energy signatures they appear to be standard energy weapons. They are also closing in on us.”
GiS was quick to react. “Fine — we will manually or animally man the sphere’s laser cannons. K-999 and I will take cannon number 1. Baxter and Elvin will man cannon number 2. Kymm and Chriz will man cannon number 3. Zenna and Lobi will man cannon number 4.
“But
Elvin and Lobi both lowered their arms, disappointedly frowning.
“Well, I will tell you,” GiS said. “Our top scientists and computers have figured out a way to compensate for the high magnetic field, and therefore our sensors won’t be affected. That gives us a distinct advantage.”
The frowns on Elvin and Lobi’s faces grew.
“Why weren’t we informed of this?” Lobi asked. “We could have been of assistance.”
“Because you are still cadets!” he said sternly. “No matter how smart you may be, Earth has other resources that are at least as smart as you are and have more experience. They are the ones who solved this problem. They are the best of the best. They are what you will be if you work hard and listen and don’t let your giant egos get in the way.”
Elvin and Lobi both drooped their heads. I almost felt sorry for them. For a couple of guys who were sure bright, they weren’t smart enough to see that coming.
Before they could sulk for long, though, a warning started to blare. The control room’s lights started to flash red. I don’t know who thought of this procedure. I know it’s meant to show danger is approaching, but bloop, you would think you’d want no excess noise and the best lighting possible when in danger.
“What’s wrong, SC?” K-999 asked.
“My sensors have picked up incoming ships coming from around the third planet,” SC said calmly.
“I guess our scientists weren’t the only ones to figure out how to scan through the magnetic field,” I said.
“Yes, apparently not,” GiS sighed.
“I detect six shuttle-sized ships,” SC said.
The holographic display showed six small dashes. They were on the opposite side of the third planet but getting closer to us.
“How do we know they are hostile?” Lobi asked.
“They have activated their weapon systems,” SC said.
“Maybe they are just cautious?” Lobi said.
“They have fired upon us,” SC said.
“Okay, I’ll stop talking now,” Lobi said, dropping his shoulders and holding his hands behind his back.
“What do you mean, they fired on us?” GiS said, “They are still half a planet away from us!”
“Apparently they have very good homing weapons,” SC said. “You can see them on the screen now.”
We all turned back to the view screen. Sure enough six balls of energy were screaming toward us. We all braced for impact. The balls hit. Nothing happened.
“Now that was anticlimactic, “ I said.
GiS glared at me.
“It sure was,” Kymm agreed. “The question is why?”
The lights flickered off, then back on again.
“Now that can’t be a good sign,” I said.
“It was another data attack,” SC said calmly. “They were trying to get me to drop my computer defense systems. Which is kind of ironic since my computer defenses are always down as per our agreement with the Aquarians.”
“You can read their attack?” Elvin asked.
“Yes,” SC answered. “I have learned from the defenses you installed how to do that. Of course now I have good news and bad news.”
There was a pause. Apparently SC wanted to be prompted.
“What’s the good news?” I asked, being a bright side kind of guy.
“Even if our computer systems had been on I could have easily defended against that attack but that attack was many times more sophisticated than the attack in anti-space, so our foes seem to be learning.”
“If that’s the good news, then what’s the bad?” Kymm asked.
“They are charging up a different sort of weapon. From the energy signatures they appear to be standard energy weapons. They are also closing in on us.”
GiS was quick to react. “Fine — we will manually or animally man the sphere’s laser cannons. K-999 and I will take cannon number 1. Baxter and Elvin will man cannon number 2. Kymm and Chriz will man cannon number 3. Zenna and Lobi will man cannon number 4.
“But
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