Tracking Targets (Short Story)

Here we are again. Yet another part of this never-ending story. To be honest, I was imagining it would be maybe 3 - 4 parts, but the story just keeps going. At this point, I'm thinking it may be a novella by the time it's over.

Here are the previous parts of this story if you're interested in reading them.

Part 1 - Passage To Zun-Kulla

Part 2 - Traveling Through Space

Part 3 - Mesmerizing Daydream

Part 4 - Ambush

Part 5 - Preparations For Battle

Part 6 - The Battle Map

Part 7 - The First Barrage

Part 8 - Battle Damage

Source

       The once unblemished pattern the walls of the corridor held was now interrupted by missing panels, and exposed wire and tubing. An engineer was in the process of soldering some wires, suggesting that not every panel had been blown out of place during the fighting. The smell of burnt electronics was heavy in the air; invasive toxic fumes. Merrick felt it would be better if he were to wear a mask as he passed through the ship, but didn't have one and had little time to ask.
       "The fires out," a thin voice called, and Merrick looked to see a Human rush to the engineer working at the wall. He was wearing overalls that seemed too big for him, and a helmet that had a lot of built-up grime.
       "Get back to the engine room then! Monitor the ship's vital systems, there's plenty more work to be done, Human!" The engineer barked back. Merrick noticed she was Doshan. It was rare to see them and he couldn't remember the last time he had.
       She caught his eye as he passed by. Her green skin was coated in dark dust from the job she was undertaking. The Doshan made no effort to say anything, and within a moment went back to her work.
       Merrick followed the fleeing Human, who ran through a doorway directly ahead of him, which was no doubt the engine room. Turning the corner of the room, there was a door directly ahead of him and the half-glowing, half-sparking title of the place was armory.

       The doors slid open far easier than the door of the bridge, and within there was some talking which took him a few moments to focus on.
       "I want every gun focused on that ship. Our top target priority is the weaponry; the moment they're exposed, fire. We'll disrupt their ability to bite." M'Tbanni spoke passionately as he paced the room, with his hands folded behind his back. He walked back and forth behind the chairs around the perimeter of the room and Merrick stood for a moment as he looked at the turret gunners who were too focused on their screens to notice him.
       "Human, what are you doing here?" The Trisken asked as he stopped in his tracks to look at Merrick. Some of the gunners took a passing glance, but none dwelled on him for long.
       "Zebulon sent me down, we have targets incoming from the other ship. They may be drillers," Merrick paused for a moment after mentioning that, and by the look on the Trisken's face, he didn't have to speak further on the matter.
       "Drillers?" M'Tbanni muttered to himself as he looked at one of the monitors. "We haven't received any warnings." He continued to focus over the shoulder of one of the gunners.
       "I assure you, they're there. Three ships in total. There's a chance they're only escape pods, but the threat drillers could pose to us is worth the concern." Merrick replied calmly.
       "Good call, I'll assume you're the one that raised the warning?" M'Tbanni responded, to which Merrick nodded. "I want visuals on these ships, one gun tracking each target!" The Trisken roared, driving each of the gunners to quickly start searching the area for the ships.

       "Hold fire until we know. Zebulon doesn't want to shoot down escape pobs." Merrick stated, but the Trisken barely paid any mind to him.
       "We'll see about that. I'm not letting a Zun-Kullen boarding party through. Our crew isn't equipped to deal with that sort of assault." The Trisken replied.
       "It goes against every code across all worlds to attack unarmed non-combatants," Merrick said, hoping to hear M'Tbanni agree that he wouldn't do something stupid.
       "Seems good on paper, Human. But battles aren't fought and won with words and good intentions." M'Tbanni walked to one of the gunner seats and leaned over to get a good look at the target. The screen showed an incoming ship, but it was too far away to see any discernable details. "Looks like a driller to me. Fire." His voice boomed with his final word.

       Merrick could do nothing to stop the inevitable from happening, the only thing he could do was hope that they were in fact drillers. The guilt of putting that thought out there would eat away at him if they weren't.