Free Annihilation Series-Searching for a Hero by Saxon Andrew Page B

scanners.”
    They accelerated out into the middle of the game zone, watching Ping to see where he would flee. Ping stayed in his position and watched them arrive at the center of the zone. Jon watched Ping hold his position and said, “What now, Avery?”
    “Expand the diamond formation and lock your scanners on the area he’s currently occupying. Have your ships set to automatically teleport to the coordinates picked up by your scanners. We’ll come at him as soon as we enter normal space.” The four started moving in on Ping using their thrusters and just before they moved into range of their weapons, Ping disappeared and suddenly, he reappeared to the left side of their formation just out of weapon’s range. In an instant, he teleported to the opposite side of their formation and then back to the other side. The four seniors had set their systems to automatically teleport to the coordinates they scanned and they found themselves bouncing back and forth between the two coordinates.
    • • • • •
    Jodie watched as the four ships were bounced from side to side and smiled, “It looks like Ping is showing them they can’t use their automatic systems.”
    Every cadet in the student center swiveled their heads to the left then right then back to the left. Soon the laughter started.
    • • • • •
    “Teleport back to our start point, NOW!” Avery teleported away and felt a cramp in his neck from the volleying back and forth in open space. “That creep played us for fools.”
    “Have you ever seen that tactic, Jon? Well, I haven’t either.”
    Mark said, “I guess that rules out using our auto-systems. What do we do?”
    “I think we have no choice but to split up and take him on by pursuing him into a place where one of us can take the shot.”
    “What pattern do we use, Avery?”
    “Wide weave. If he attacks one of us the other three will teleport in and take a shot.”
    “Lead the way.”
    Avery moved out from the other three as they moved out parallel to his path and began weaving up and down, side to side. Avery knew the gaming zone was kept just small enough to prevent a ship from simply teleporting away to avoid combat. If multiple ships were spread out, there wasn’t much room for a ship to teleport to safety.
    Jon watched the small ship being herded toward the edge of the gaming zone and knew time was running out for their quarry. Suddenly the ship disappeared and entered normal space directly behind Avery’s ship. The other three came roaring in to lock their computers on the target but he teleported away before they could acquire lock. Avery had no way to fire at the small ship directly behind him. He looked up and saw his three partners roaring in on him at an unbelievable velocity.
    The only thing that saved the seniors from a catastrophic collision was that they had worked so closely together…but it was close. Avery managed to hit his teleport button a moment before Mark blew through his location.
    The four managed to gather their wits and form a diamond formation again and Charles said, “This is no longer funny. That was close.”
    Jon keyed his com, “Do you think he did that on purpose?”
    Avery was still shaking from the close call, “What do you think? I think we’ve gotten ourselves into a quandary here lads.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “All he’s done so far is avoid us; do you think he could attack us if he chose?”
    “What are you saying, Avery?”
    “I’m saying we stay in our diamond formation and pursue him and hope time runs out on this exercise.”
    “Avery, we can take him.”
    “By all means tell me how?” Silence greeted the question, “I thought so. Let’s go after him.”
    Ping avoided the four easily and watched as they turned for another run. “Are you just going to run and let time run out?”
    Ping looked at the Controller on his side panel and said, “It’s never good to attack a diamond, Sir.”
    “What if an enemy comes at you in that