by Lee Watts
"A lot can happen in forty minutes," Saqir sassed. "Shields up, charge the weapons and get Field Marshall Tulin on the screen. Let's see if his forces can actually do anything!"
On the bridge of the Dauntless, King Lyons crossed to the command station where was the barrel-chested Admiral Balin. Balin wore a full beard, except for his clean-shaven chin, which he stroked as he contemplated the battle.
"Our initial target is that station," Balin declared. "It's command and control for the net of satellites surrounding the planets. We've got to knock that station off-line or our ships will get vaporized before they're ever near the surface. Phase one is penetrating the station's shields. They have incredible regeneration rates, and we have to suppress that tri-barreled cannon I mentioned. With that kind of artillery, the Dauntless can absorb two maybe three hits, but the other ships could be taken out in a single volley."
Calling to the communications officer, Balin instructed him to open a frequency to the assault force.
"All ships, this is Admiral Balin. Landing teams, hold position until we neutralize that station. Alpha Group, with me, ahead slow. Make the gap plenty wide and wait for my signal. Balin out."
In the command center of the Hegemony Station, Saqir received confusing reports.
"Administrator, they're breaking up. It seems most of the ships are holding position. However, there are approximately fifty on a slow approach and splitting into two groups."
"Where are they heading?"
"Both are vectoring in on the station."
Saqir thought he understood the tactic.
"They're trying to keep at the bulk of their forces out of striking range of the main gun. Tell our ships to form up on the opposite side of the station from the cannon. There's no way that number of ships is going to be able to get through our shielding. We'll pick them off one at a time until the reinforcements arrive; then we'll box them in and finish off this rabble once and for all."
Everyone in the command center shared Saqir's optimism. Equipped with sixteen redundant and overlapping shield generators, the Hegemony station of Theera-Enty was quite possibly the most protected space station in the entire galaxy.
"They're slowing further, Administrator."
"That doesn't make sense. Why aren't they charging? Are they in weapons range yet?"
"No, Sir."
"They're trying to bait us," he reasoned. "They want us to send our ships out so they can engage them without having to worry about drawing the station's fire. Tell our ships to hold their positions. We can certainly out-wait them, and the longer they delay, the closer our reinforcements."
At all but a crawl, the Realm hung back from engaging the might of the Hegemony station.
"Admiral, all ships in position. We're reading full power to the station's shields."
"Excellent," Balin acknowledged. "Activate the drones and prepare to advance."
Just beyond the rim of the Theera-Enty system, two remotely activated cruisers came to life. Every corridor and compartment of each vessel had been packed to capacity with the densest metals the Remnant could find. As the engines of the first ship flared, it leaped to light speed; the second did the same a few moments later.
"What if it doesn't work?" Alexander asked.
"It'll work," Balin reassured the king. "It's simply a matter of mathematics. The amount of force needed to take down those shields is greater than anything we could maintain. So, it boils down to that old equation: force is mass times velocity. Those drone ships are at such a great velocity that quite literally the Ramillie won't know what hit them." Turning to the crew, he asked, "Time to impact?"
"Five seconds, Sir. Three…two…one…"
A blinding flash erupted from the station. Even from so far away, Alexander could see the massive amount of energy released from the initial strike. As the flame from the second drone's impact faded, Balin noticed the darkened station now at an odd tilt. He couldn't help but smile.
"Alpha Group, ahead full. Begin phase two," the admiral ordered. "Boarding parties, standby to deploy!"
As the Realm ships raced forward, red emergency lights illuminated inside the station revealing the extensive damage. In the hazy command center, Saqir coughed violently as his lungs filled with smoke.
"REPORT," he called out.
Backup ventilation systems finally kicked on, drawing smoke out of the room as the answer came.
"All shields down! Weapons off-line! Hull breaches on multiple levels. Sir, Remnant ships approaching fast!"
"Tell our ships to form a line in front of us," Saqir demanded. "Hurry!"
The Ramillie ships were caught off-guard and so were slow to respond. They lumbered forward as the Realm craft zoomed toward the heavily damaged station. Assault shuttles launched from the Dauntless, swarming the Hegemony outpost. Attaching themselves to the hull of the station with magnetic seals, the assault ships began boring through. Quickly breaching the outer hull, Realm troops poured into the station. Fire-fights erupted on every level as the battle for Theera-Enty began.
Commander Cale Rayne raced through the corridors of the station with a squad of five others on his team. Their aim was the command center where they were to shut down the net of security satellites surrounding the home planets.
On the Dauntless, Alexander was puzzled.
"Admiral, why bother to board the station; why not simply destroy it?"
"My major concern is those satellites losing central control," Balin explained. "If they go to default programming, or if the Ramillie can activate them from another point, they could still use them against us or the planets. We need to take control of them before we proceed to the surface."
On the Hegemony station, in the middle of the intense fire-fight, Cale Rayne ran for cover. An explosion caused chunks of twisted metal and debris to rain down and separated Cale from his unit. He pressed on until reaching a locked door at the end of a smoky corridor. Blasting it, he stepped inside and found a narrow passageway with a row of portals to escape pods, most of which had already been jettisoned. At the far end of the passage, the door parted open, and in stepped someone Cale recognized from the broadcasts - Administrator Saqir Nexos. Saqir was wounded, alone, and unarmed. Seeing the Realm soldier, Saqir froze. He knew there was no way for him to duck back in the room or make it to an escape pod before the soldier could shoot. Aim trained on Saqir, Cale cautiously stepped forward. Noticing a closed room to his right, Cale tapped the button that opened the door then motioned with his rifle for Saqir to enter. Confused but without an option, Saqir complied. Cale followed him in and secured the door behind them.
"Administrator Nexos, I have a proposition for you."
CHAPTER 7
"…Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense saith the Lord…" – Hebrews 10:30
"Enter," Sosimo said answering the beep at his office door. With a hiss, the door slid open and in walked the Fortune's first officer, Shen Mei. Though an attractive woman, Sosimo still saw the face of her father every time he looked at her. Sosimo had sworn to avenge Shen Lei's death, and it was a promise he intended to keep.
"Captain, we've entered the Illov system. I've taken us out of lightdrive and set course for the eighth planet. We should enter orbit in twenty minutes."
"Excellent."
"Captain, I don't mean to second guess you, but do you think it's a good idea going to The Hammer? We've gone to great lengths to stay independent of his syndicate. If he helps us, we'll owe him a favor, and you know The Hammer always collects. We could wind up working for him full time. And you've heard about how brutal he is. There's a rumor he spaced an entire crew because they were skimming off the top on their smuggling runs."
"Yea, I heard about that," Sosimo nodded with concern. "But don't worry, Mei. I'm almost certain I know what I'm doing."
"Almost?"
"Hey, there're no guarantees in life. What I do know for certain is that after half a year of looking for Crimson, I'm not one step closer to finding him
than when I started. If I can't find the Fame, then we can't make Crimson pay for your father's murder, we can't get my map rings back, and we'll never find The Vault. The Hammer will know where Crimson is working nowadays. All we have to do is make some sort of an arrangement for the information."
"The Hammer isn't known for generosity. This arrangement is going to cost something."
"Everything has its price, My Dear. If you look hard enough, you can usually find a way to get it for a discount."
Mei was concerned that her captain's bargain hunting was going to get them into more trouble than they could get out of someday. It was often the case, and it was her job to protect him from himself. Though an adult when her father was killed, Sosimo had become a father figure to Mei, and now he was the only person in the universe she fully trusted.
A short while later, the Fortune entered orbit of Illov VIII, the clandestine base of the most vicious, unscrupulous, and infamous crime-lord in the galaxy, The Hammer.
"Do you want to land the ship, Captain?"
From his command chair on the bridge, Sosimo considered it for a moment then shook his head.
"Better not. We may need to get out of here in a hurry. I'll take a shuttle down. Byron, The Hammer may not be feeling especially hospitable, so I want you to be ready to make a flying catch, understand?"
"I'll be ready, Cap'n."
"Mei, with me. You, me, and our good friend Lanos here need to make a house call."
"Aw come on, Thothimo. You don't know what The Hammer will do to me if I'm theen bringing you here. I might wind up dead or thomthing even wurth."
"Worse?" Sosimo questioned. "Whath wurth than… I mean, what's worse than dead?"
"Oh, The Hammerth got a long lith of thingth that are worth."
"So I hear… but you're thinking about this all the wrong way. My dear Lanos, consider this as a service you're performing for The Hammer. You're setting up a valuable business meeting, that's all. And I'll promise you this, if things go bad you won't face a fate worse than death."
"Oh? And how are you going to thee to that?"
"Because I'll shoot you myself. Now, let's go."
Gliding out from the Fortune's docking bay was a tiny shuttle once belonging to the colony ship Morningstar. Setting down at a starport, LaRouche and company stepped out of the ship and noticed three burly, black-suited men waiting for them.
"Keep your eyes open, Mei. They don't look like the customs agents to me. Hey, wait a minute. Did I ever rip off anybody here?"
"Captain, this is our first time on this planet."
"Yea, but… aw, don't worry about it. It's probably just some port officials. After all, nobody even knows we're coming."
"Good afternoon, Captain LaRouche," greeted the lead man of the imposing, black-clad trio.
"Ah, well… I see my reputation precedes me."
"Let's hope not," Mei added under her breath.
"The Hammer is expecting you. This way."
Sosimo, Mei, and the overly sweaty Lanos were ushered into a waiting leather interior hovercar. Inside the stretched vehicle, reeking with the telltale scent of ozone from recent weapons fire, were two other muscular brutes with apparently no necks. A pitiful Lanos looked at the pirate who had forced him into this predicament.
"Wurth than death…" was all he said.
After leaving the spaceport, they cruised through the seedy section of town. It was precisely the kind of operation Sosimo expected the gangster to run: casinos, fight clubs, bars, and other… more sordid establishments. To his surprise, they did not stop outside any of these but instead continued on to the high-class business district.
Ah, this is more like it, the pirate thought. He's a businessman, so he conducts his work in a business-like setting. Good taste. Again, however, the hovercar did not stop. Leaving that area, the ride continued into the residential district, and to Sosimo's astonishment, the vehicle stopped outside a modest, two-story home built in the traditional, country style. Two of the brutes exited first with LaRouche's group following. There were no guards, not a single security camera, and the only boundary was waist-high white picket fence. A little old lady was busy pruning some flower bushes in the well-manicured lawn, and a small feline-like animal was playing in the yard.
Sosimo looked to Lanos who merely nodded.
"Thith ith the plath," he indicated.
"It's the perfect cover," Mei whispered as they were escorted up the white stone-lined sidewalk.
"Oh, mercy me," said the elderly gardener rising from her kneeling position while scurrying to the door. "Where are my manners. You all look like you've come a long way. Here, come inside, and I'll get you a cup of tea. You've come to see the boss I take it?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Mei replied as they ascended the porch steps.
"Ma'am? Young Lady, I like you already; you've got manners. Somebody must have raised you right."
"My father was a very disciplined man; he thought good manners were important."
"And right he was," the older lady confirmed while opening the door.
The inside was as unremarkable as the exterior. Modest furniture, several plants, and delicate porcelain figurines adorned the rooms.
"Go ahead and take a seat at the kitchen table while I put a kettle on."
"Thank you," Mei answered as they all took a seat.
"Uh… Ma'am," Sosimo stated, "I don't mean to be rude, but we're really in kind of a rush. Do you think you could let the… uh, boss know we're here."
"Oh, Deary, the boss knows you're here - knew the minute you entered orbit. You just sit yourself down and wait. The boss will get down to business when it's time."
"Do you need anything, Ms. Phyllis?" asked a dark-dressed brute who'd entered with the party.
"No, that'll be all. Thanks so much, Deary." Setting out some teacups for the visitors, Phyllis confided, "Those boys are always so nice and helpful, even help me carry in the groceries. I don't see why people who come here act so scared of them. They're just big teddy bears really."
"Yes… cuddly," Sosimo mumbled.
After two cups of tea, some small cookies, and a half hour of chit-chat, LaRouche was getting anxious.
"Ms. Phyllis, I'm pressed for time. Could you, please, call the boss and let him know I'm waiting. I've come with a very lucrative deal for him. I'm sure he's a man who will appreciate my offer."
"What makes you think the boss is a man?"
"Because… Well, if he is a she that would explain the house," Sosimo uttered in belated realization. "Okay, will you let her know I want to speak to her."
"I told you, Deary, she already knows."
"Yea, but she doesn't know why I've come or what I'm offering."
"I've got a clue."
"You do? What do you know?"
"I know you're looking for Crimson and that cloaking ship of his, but letting you eliminate him hurts my business, and I can't have that, can I, Deary."
Taking a sip of tea then setting her cup down daintily, Ms. Phyllis smiled.
"Thothimo, allow me to introduth… The Hammer."
CHAPTER 8
"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…"
– Psalm 14:1
A hand projected out from the pile of rubble in the station's command center. As if clawing his way out of a grave, Dakshi climbed from the mound of debris. Enraged, the possessed man howled in anger, cursing vehemently. Storming through the room and tossing fallen components off of bodies, he checked each person in the command center. In a mix of relief and aggravation, his search for Saqir turned up empty. Unclipping the communication device from his belt, he brought it to his mouth.
"Administrator, this is Dakshi," came a growling voice from the device at Saqir's waist.
"I'm here, Dakshi."
"Your condition?"
Looking to the Realm officer in the room, Saqir smiled as Cale nodded.
"I'm alright, but we have to get off of the station quickly. Meet me in the outer corrid
or ring of level three by the escape pods, and make it fast."
"Acknowledged."
Arrangement complete, Saqir and Cale stepped from the small room and back into the passageway by the row of escape pod terminals. With a hiss, the door at the far end of the hall opened and in rushed two Realm troops. One of them was Sergeant Peyton Simon, who was among those marooned on Acatus V for forty months with Cale and the rest of Alexander's group. Upon noticing Cale and Ramillie together, Peyton and the other Realm soldier hesitated in confusion. Capitalizing on the momentary break, Cale quickly squeezed off two shots. Peyton was the second one hit and died in bewilderment, his body slumping over the other dead Realm soldier. Cale curled his lip in disgust at the fallen form of the comrade he had betrayed.
"A demonstration of sincerity," Cale said.
"Yes, but it will take more than that," Saqir replied with a toothy smile.
Cale nodded.
Storming the command center, Master Sergeant Marcus Gibson and his team kept their weapons ready. Except for lifeless bodies, the room was abandoned.
"All clear," Marcus reported. "Hacker, do your stuff."
Hacker was the call sign Marcus had given to the computer expert that was assigned to his unit for this mission. Making his way over the scattered machinery littering the floor, Hacker found a functioning computer terminal. From years of climbing through the jungle, it was easy for Aulani to keep up with him. Though Hacker could slice programs, he couldn't read Ramillie, so a translator had to be sent with him, and Aulani was the best.
"Great! It's not locked," Hacker noted. "We might do this after all."
"Might?" Aulani responded in surprise. "You mean you didn't know if-"
"I'm in," Hacker said.
As Aulani read him the screen, Hacker wove his way past the security protocols in an attempt to shut down the satellite system surrounding the homeworlds of the Realm.
***
Dakshi dove for cover behind a fallen statue of one of the many Ramillie gods as blue laserfire hailed in his direction. The dozen Realm troops at the far end of the room effectively blocked his route to the passage with Saqir. There was another way around but much longer. Knowing Saqir would have no compunction about leaving the station without him, Dakshi realized time was of the essence. Six Ramillie troops exchanged fire with the invaders, keeping both sides at bay. Every second of delay compounded Dakshi's rage. Gripping one of the room's support railings, he pulled out his heavy blaster pistol aiming it at the wall of large windows. Set on rapid burst, the blaster quickly punched through the window, shattering it. The wind howled out of the room as the escaping pressure blew everything not fastened down into the vacuum of space. Realm and Ramillie troops alike, taken off guard, were flung into the void. With unnatural strength, Dakshi kept his vice-like grip on the support beam until the emergency containment doors automatically slammed into place, resealing the room. Gulping air as the room re-pressurized, Dakshi got to his feet and continued his journey.