The Search for Gram by Chris Kennedy

clear, proceeding on mission, ” commed Calvin.
    “We just got retasked, sir,” said his WSO, Lieutenant Sasaki ‘Supidi’ Akio. “We are supposed to try to stop a torpedo headed toward the ship. I have the target on your screen. We must turn quickly; there is little time.”
    Calvin pulled harder on the stick, yanking the fighter around in a tight turn.
    “Stand by to fire,” said Supidi as the nose of the fighter came into line with the target. “Fire!”
    Calvin pulled the trigger on his stick, and the missiles launched. The torpedo was already close, and it only took a few seconds before Supidi said, “They missed.”
    “There’s no way we’re going to hit the torpedo with our laser,” said Calvin. “One last thing to try…” He pulled the fighter back to the right and into the path of the missile.
    “It’s been nice flying with you, sir,” said Supidi.
    There was a flash, and the fighter was gone.
     
     

Asp 02 , 14 Herculis System, June 14, 2021
    “Shit,” said Guns, “We just lost 07 .” After the enemy ship launched the torpedo, a number of high energy lasers had opened up on the Asps as their crews raced to get within the range of their fighters’ lasers. The Terrans had already lost Asp 03 and Asp 06 in the first attack; the loss of 07, with its crew of Lieutenants John McCarter and Vernon Shepherd, made three.
    No time to dwell on it.
    The victor of fighter battles on Earth and in space, Guns continued to jink the fighter back and forth, seeming to instinctively know where the next laser bolt would go. The rest of the pilots followed him, dodging back and forth.
    “Five seconds,” said the XO, working the targeting solution. Sweat puddled in her suit as its environmental system strained to keep up. “Stand by…fire!”
    Guns pulled the trigger, and laser fire splashed down the side of the alien destroyer. For the first time the vessel was hit. Although its armor withstood the majority of the laser fire, several jets of mist showed where holes had been opened in the hull, and atmosphere vented out.
    Asp 05 followed, opening more small holes in the destroyer’s side.
    “ Pour it on, ” commed the XO. “ If we can open enough holes in it, maybe we can get them to disengage. ”
    Asp 08 and Asp 09 followed Asp 05 , with 08 going down the port side and 09 down the starboard. Without warning, the alien vessel disappeared, and the two space fighters vanished with it. When the enemy ship reappeared two seconds later, Asp 04 was in the same space as the enemy ship. The speeding metal slug that had been a space fighter, along with its crew of Lieutenant William Santiago and Lieutenant Keith Dodd, tore lengthwise through the alien destroyer until it ran into something explosive, and both vessels detonated catastrophically. There were several large pieces of the alien ship remaining; of the fighter and its crew, there was nothing.
     
     

Bridge, TSS Vella Gulf , 14 Herculis System, June 14, 2021
    “Fuck,” said the DSO under his breath. In a more normal tone he said, “The enemy vessel disappeared and then came back. When it reappeared, Asp 04 was in the same space it occupied. Both Asp 04 and the enemy vessel have been destroyed.”
    “Call back our fighters,” said Captain Sheppard. His tone was muted; he could scarcely believe the devastation which had just overtaken his air wing. “How many do we have remaining?”
    “Three, sir,” replied the OSO. “The XO in Asp 02 , Asp 05 and Asp 10 . The rest have all been destroyed or are missing.”
    “7 5 percent of the air wing gone in a single engagement,” said Sheppard, shaking his head.
    “Captain Sheppard, the Jotunn vessel has begun moving,” said Steropes. “It appears to be heading in our direction.”
    “Helmsman, keep heading for the stargate. OSO, have the fighters join with us enroute.”
    “New contact!” called the DSO. “It’s a little ways behind us…small ship…it’s Asp 01 , sir. Asp 01 just