Free Web NovelChapter 630: Firing Artillery
Jace walked into the portside artillery room to find Gorund staring in awe. "How the hell did you make these?"
"The UEE, the group who made the original skeleton of this cruiser’s design also had designs for these. I modified them slightly. But these are the real beauties." Jace explained as he moved over to where several shelves of artillery rounds were stored. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Gorund followed him over. "Still, having a system like this not run automatically... isn’t that dangerous?"
Jace shook his head. "We have the quarters to have more people so I figured this was fine. Not to mention having all the weapons reliant on primary power would become an issue if your power source was damaged or went down."
"I suppose that makes sense." Gorund nodded at a construction exoskeleton that was crouched over. "Am I using that to move the rounds to the cannons? Or am I setting up the cannons?"
Jace nodded as he walked over and had the mechanical distributor move to the top of the shelf and grab a penetrating round. "You are using the construction exoskeleton. I am remotely setting up the cannons."
"I thought they were not powered." Gorund pointed out as he climbed into the chair for the exoskeleton and began adjusting it as one of the rounds was brought down by the sorting arms so Jace could carry it to a cannon.
"They are powered. They just run on independent batteries that can be recharged and replaced easily rather than wired into the system." Jace explained as he picked up the round from the arm and heaved it onto his shoulder before sending the arms to retrieve another for Gorund.
The round was bulky and awkward to hold. But otherwise it was easy for him to carry. The gravity in the cruiser was still slightly higher than normal. He walked to the farthest cannon as he remotely started it. By the time he arrived he just had to pull open the back lever so it was open and then slid the shell in with the pointy end away then closed the lever so the rear closed. Before he closed it he could see the shell hovering inside of the cannon, ready to be fired.
He walked over to the next one and opened it up as he passed it by along with all of the other cannons as he walked past. Gorund moved past him and placed a shell by a cannon. Jace would put it in.
They continued for a few minutes before all of the cannons were set up. Loaded with shells and ready to be fired as the debris and asteroids floated around the outside of the ship but visible through the atmospheric barrier that the tips of the guns were sticking out of. "They can be pulled out of the ship and used as artillery pieces." Gorund realized.
Jace nodded. "Yes. I made them utility pieces that could be pulled off if needed. There are a bunch of other things on board like that as well." Jace explained as their communication crackled to life.
"We are in position behind the mortella world class ship. Are the artillery rooms ready?" West asked over the open ship communication channel.
"The portside artillery room is ready." Gorund reported as Jace moved slightly forward and could see the mortella ships just ahead of them through the atmospheric barrier.
"The starboard artillery room is ready as well." Jamal reported from the other artillery room.
"Charging laser cannon." West announced. Jace could feel and hear as the laser cannon began to build up an abundance of electricity.
He could feel as the electricity moved toward the base of the cannon. While everyone could probably hear the slight hum throughout the ship.
Voom!
He did not hear it before because he had already left the cruiser but this time he could make out the sound of the cannon firing. Which he should not be able to hear. There was a very good chance that something else was damaged. Hopefully they have time to repair the cruiser after this.
"The world class ship has been heavily damaged. Cascade damage is following, it is listing downwards and away from the formation. We are moving in to replace them. Prepare to fire on the colony class ships." West announced as the cruiser moved forward and the mortella formation began moving and maybe even realizing what happened.
Gorund watched to the side and started to make an observation. "The first cannon is-"
BOOM! Chi-chang! Klank!
The back of the artillery released some black smoke that quickly disappeared into a vent. Gorund looked disorientated for a second before he quickly brought his hands up to his ears to cover them because of the cacophony of noise that was about to occur.
The first artillery’s empty shell was ejected from the side and was smoking as Jace’s eyes watched the physical shell cut through space. A mix of orange and red from being fired with such a high amount of explosives that would melt most metals. Which was probably why it was able to cut through the shielding and then the back of the colony ship so easily before tearing through several other warships.
Jace could faintly pick up the sound of the cannons on the other side of the cruiser firing as he triggered the next artillery cannon. He watched as the colony ship was torn to shreds by the penetrating rounds that burned bright from the superheated metal. "Well shit. I thought there could be scrap we could salvage. But it turns out I made this stuff a bit too good." He spoke over the ship channel so the others could hear because Gorund definitely could not hear him. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"What did you make those shells out of?" Valkyrie asked in astonishment. "Each one is going straight through the ships."
"If that is the case." He looked over the shelves of various rounds. He did not make many penetrating rounds but they should definitely use them sparingly. He figured they would be useful in this case though. "Then I think it would be better if I do not tell you. These are a bit too good."
After a half a minute the artillery guns went quiet. Which was eerie and unsettling considering the amount of noise they were making before. Although he imagined the pressure and atmosphere was just as bad. He looked over at the dwarf to see him shaking for a moment.
Jace almost felt bad, but then-
"Bwahahahahaha!" Gorund burst into joyful laughter. "It feels a bit like I am back home with all the muck in the air and the pressure on my skin." He then grew a serious expression as he looked at Jace. "Are the people in the other cannon room alright?"
Jace shrugged. He honestly could not tell from here. He did know for a fact that they retreated to the safety of the corridor before the artillery room because he had to start remotely activating the cannons from the other side of the ship when he noticed them stop for a moment. They were primed, just not firing.
"Hey whatever your name is. Are the gents that were manning the starboard artillery cannons alright?" The dwarf asked as he reached up one of his thick fingers and dug around in his ear before pulling out the finger with some blood on the end. Along with a massive wad of earwax.
"Yeah, after the first two cannon shots they had to retreat to the corridor. We were going to let you guys know but it seems like Jace already picked up on it and remotely activated the cannons." West answered after a moment.
Gorund seemed unbothered before he called up again. "Am I being left on hold?"
It was Jace’s turn to laugh as he hunched over. He was sure his figure was bouncing up and down slightly with the way he was laughing. "Sorry West. Seems Gorund’s eardrums were popped. Get permission to land at the station where Salem called from. Also have Victor bring Catherine to the appropriate disembarking point and tell me the same location. Now our journey is complete." He informed them as he pointed at Gorund who tilted his head in confusion.
Jace pointed at where his own ears would be. Then he made a swirling motion. Then made a fist and then made that fist ’explode’ by opening his hand.
"Ah..." Gorund nodded in understanding as he started removing his harness after deactivating the construction exoskeleton and moving to climb out of it. "My eardrums really did pop. Are the gents that were in the other artillery bay alright?"
Jace gave a thumbs up as he led Gorund out of the portside artillery bay and towards a central area of the ship where they could get to any other area of the ship quickly from. "West, have Jamal and Colvert keep an eye on their health just in case. Gorund’s eardrums burst. I will take him to an infirmary aboard Salem’s station."
"I will sir." West answered.
