Despite his better instincts, Johnny had left the armament aboard the captured pirate cutter which had been renamed Vanguard II by Captain Szymanski. Intelligence reports had indicated the Nausicaans were increasing their activity in the sector after their losses at Hygar and an apparent setback in an encounter with the USS Ronin. He had no desire to burn out another warp core towing a colony ship to safety and figured the best way to prevent that was to keep the Vanguard II armed to the teeth.
"I want to thank you again for all you've done," Szymanski said as they entered the Nipron system.
"Don't think anything of it!" Johnny replied. "At the rate things were going I was positive I'd die at SB901 of old age!" The crippled shuttle was in the cutter's shuttle bay, awaiting transfer to the Hornet.
"Captain, I've got contacts at 340 Mark 3... they look like Mulluran vessels!" the young colonist working the helm station indicated.
Johnny took the tactical station. Szymanski tapped him on the shoulder. "I think we'd be better off with you in command, Commander," he said.
Johnny shook his head. "This ship has only one captain, and that's you. Just try to make a run for the Hornet if you can. I suggest securing the ship for silent running. Cut our warp core and find a quiet place to hide."
The orders were given, and the ship powered down as it entered orbit around a small asteroid. "Keep our reserves ready," Johnny instructed.
"Sirs, the Mulluran vessels are headed our direction!"
"Stay cool!" Szymanski ordered.
"We're receiving a transmission -- it's in Nausicaan!" another bridge station announced.
"Record the transmission; translate if you can," Johnny ordered.
The ships hung in space, the Mullurans apparently expecting something. Then they began to move.
"Sensors indicate weapons powering up on the lead vessel!"
"Ready a spread of photon torpedoes. Target Engineering and weapons arrays on the Mulluran vessels," Johnny said.
"How close are they now?" Szymanski asked.
"180,000 kilometers and closing fast -- sir, the lead vessel is firing its phasers!"
"Fire forward torpedoes!" Johnny barked.
"Torpedoes away!" The ship rocked with the phaser blast. "Shields down by 30 percent!"
The torpedoes sped their way silently through space. The Mullurans tried to take evasive maneuvers, but weren't quite fast enough...
"Lead vessel destroyed -- second vessel looks like 55% power loss from Engineering, and damage to multiple decks! Third vessel is still going strong!"
"Take us out!" Szymanski said.
The Vanguard II shot out from behind the asteroid, making a beeline for Nipron III, with the two surviving Mulluran vessels hot on its heels.
[Attention unidentified vessel -- this is Captain Lataro aboard the USS Hornet. State your purpose in this sector!]
"Open a channel," Johnny asked. "Jon -- this is Johnny! Yes, I'm back, and I could use a little help right now!"
[I was beginning to think you'd gone AWOL!] Lataro said as he turned and barked something to someone offscreen.
"The Hornet is firing a full spread of photon torpedoes... the Mulluran vessels have been destroyed!"
"Much obliged," Johnny said. "I and my shuttle will be over momentarily. Missed anything important while I was gone?"
[I suppose you could say that,] Lataro replied, then explained the situation.
"I'll need to look at everything we've got on the Niprons. Give me six hours and I'll get our people back if they can be caught," Johnny said, ignoring for the moment that one of the women who'd been kidnapped was his wife. The time to deal with that shall come later...