A Pirate's Tale: The Only Solution Is Retribution

by Saxon Andrew

  • • •

  Leo yelled, “YES!!” Then he turned to Embree, “Start giving Desiree the course to the next targets.”

  “Sending it now, Sir.”

  The Thermopylae made a radical turn and headed across the rear of the advancing Romanov Fleet and Leo felt the ship shuddering as missiles left their launch tubes. The Play Toy passed them in the opposite direction at high speed as the rear blasters on the ships located at the back of the advancing fleet began opening fire at them. But they were moving too fast to be targeted effectively. A blaster would hit them and the Thermopylae’s hardened hull would shrug it off. “Keep us outside their blaster range, Desiree!”

  Desiree stared intently at her console and shook her head, “Easier said than done; we’re about to have to penetrate their formations to go after the other Junior Fleet Leaders!”

  Leo nodded, “Do the best you can, Lieutenant.” Desiree smiled, it had been a long time she had heard Leo call her lieutenant. It felt like she was home fighting with the Tenth Legion again.

  • • •

  Blakely led his unit of four hundred Pirate Warships toward the advancing fleets and just before arriving, he turned vertical and began moving over the top of the front formation. Six hundred warships moved out of the huge formation and gave chase. He led them around to their left flank and saw Geoffrey’s Unit coming around over the top of the Romanov Formations with a huge formation of ships pursuing him. “Ready, Lads! On my command, open fire as they pass overhead…FIRE!”

  The ships pursuing Geoffrey’s Unit saw Blakely’s Unit at the last moment and they were ravaged by the hundreds of blaster beams hitting them from below. By the time they managed to start targeting Blakely’s Unit, it was past them and out of range. Another Pirate Unit blew past them from the right and opened fire on them. When it had moved away, only a hundred and forty Romanov Warships were still operational and they were calling for orders on what to do…but no one was answering them. Another passing Pirate Unit fired on them and there were no survivors.

  But everything wasn’t roses for the Pirates. The Units were being fired on and they were losing ships. Blakely had lost a quarter of his Unit’s ships but still kept course on the pattern. To break away would be suicide with all the crisscrossing ships. He saw another Romanov Unit moving below him and he lifted his communicator, “FIRE AS WE GO BY ABOVE THEM…FIRE!!”

  The Romanov Fleets were being decimated but they still carried out their orders to attack the Pirate Units they were assigned to attack. Finally after an hour of fighting, a surviving Romanov Fleet Leader yelled, “BREAK OFF AND MOVE INTO FORMATION, BREAK OFF AND…”

  The command ended abruptly as a missile hit the Fleet Leader’s vessel but the surviving warships broke off their attacks flew away at high speed, and moved into a tight formation. Blakely saw them and said, “Hit them as they move away and back out!”

  The Pirate Units rushed in and opened fire and flew out as quickly as possible. Another eight hundred Pirate Ships were lost during the attack by the concentrated cross fire from the tight Romanov Formation.

  • • •

  Serge watched the attack on his monitor and was screaming at the Commander of the Fleet above Romania, “WHAT IS THAT IDIOT DOING?”

  “Sir, his ship was taken out before the battle even started. It appears that most of the other Commanders have been killed as well. That Fleet has no leadership.” Serge glared at him and the Fleet Leader said, “We can defeat them but you have to release me to go after them ship to ship. We cannot chase them in formations.”

  Serge’s face was red and his mouth was a rictus of rage. The Major Fleet Commander pleaded, “Sir, I’ll leave enough ships to protect the city, you must release me to go after them!”

  Serge was scared out of his wits but was too angry to think. He forced himself to calm down and said to his assistant, “Tell my ship to prepare to lift.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He turned back to the Fleet Commander and said, “I am moving my ship above the planet where it will move into the ranks of the ships you leave behind. Once I’m there, go and kill every single one of them!”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  • • •

  Leo looked at his tactical monitor and saw the surviving Romanov Warships holding tight formation and opening a combined blaster barrage at any pirate ship that came close to them. Blakely appeared on his monitor, “I’ve reformed the units.”

  “How many ships do we have?” Leo asked.

  “We’ve lost about four thousand.”

  “It appears we’ve destroyed about fifteen thousand of their warships.”

  “What are they doing?”

  Leonidas stared at the Romanov formation a thousand miles away on his monitor and said, “I’m not really sure.”

  Embree looked up from his panel and said, “Sir, I have high numbers of warships moving around the planet and moving in our direction. They are not in formation but are scattered in a massive wave.”

  Leo sighed, “That other Senior Fleet Commander is ordering all of his ships to come out and attack us ship-to-ship.”

  Gem appeared on the monitor with Blakely, “The pattern will no longer work.”

  “What are we going to do?!” Blakely asked.

  Leo sighed and said, “Our purpose in coming here was to reduce their numbers enough such that Serge wouldn’t be able to control the galaxy or leave and attack Tortuga. He still has enough ships to make that happen. We can’t win this fight but we can cripple him enough to make it worth doing if we stay and destroy as many of his ships as possible.”

  Blakely shook his head, “No one should be forced to stay and die.”

  “Notify all our ships what’s happening and allow those that wish to leave to do so.”

  Blakely began speaking over the general frequency and Leo saw the surviving Romanov Warships holding formation start charging their blasters. Once the twenty thousand ships from the planet arrived, they would join the massive wave and overwhelm them. Leo looked at his bridge crew and said, “I can’t force you to give up your lives. Ask the crew to vote on whether or not we stay.”

  Embree started speaking over the intercom and after a few minutes he looked at them, “Sir, they say that they will stay with you whatever your decision.”

  Leo looked at Carl, “What do you say, Carl.”

  “Sir, I should have died about six wars ago. I’ve been living on borrowed time and I personally want to kick this Romanov’s backside into next week.” Carl reached in his console and took a small bag out of it. He held it up where Leonidas could see it, “I went back and collected some of the dirt I was hugging when you ordered me to attack those blaster bunkers just after you were promoted to Lieutenant. If I had stayed in the dirt, none of us would be here today. I’m in it till the end.”

  Desiree, Barney, and Embree nodded. Leo looked at Gem, “We can at least help knock down the numbers. I’m taking the Thermopylae and I’m launching all my remaining missiles at the ships holding formation in front of me.”

  “I will join you.”

  Leo looked at Gem on the monitor, “Thank you, Gem.”

  Gem smiled, “It’s been my pleasure, Captain.”

  Leo lifted his communicator, “Attention all missile crews, we’re advancing on the Romanov formation in front of us and firing the remaining store of missiles as we fly around the formation. Boost in twenty seconds.”

  Leo looked at Desiree, “I love you.”

  Desiree’s eyes moistened and she smiled, “I love you, too.”

  Leonidas turned around and said, “Now I understand what the original Leonidas went through at Thermopylae. Impossible odds, no chance of winning, but he fought until the end and saved Greece. It’s my turn now. GO, Desiree!” The Thermopylae leapt forward and headed toward the waiting Romanov Formation.

  • • •

  Blakely stopped addressing the surviving Pirate Ships and some began turning away as the Thermopylae and Play Toy acce
lerated toward the Romanov survivors. They watched as they moved around the formation firing thousands of missiles into it and Romanov Warships began going up in giant explosions. He heard over his speakers pirates yelling, “That’s suicide. He’s crazy!”

  Blakely watched and said to his pilot, “Boost the ship, we’re going in.” Blakely accelerated out of the Pirate formation and after a brief moment, the other ships joined him. Geoffrey yelled to his crew, “Who wants to live forever!?!” He screamed a pirate yell and his ship went to maximum speed.”

  • • •

  The Romanov survivors were packed so tightly in formation that huge numbers of them were destroyed by the vessels close by blowing up. The twenty thousand warships rushing forward from the planet saw the destruction and went to full speed.

  • • •

  Blakely stared at the oncoming wave of Romanov Warships and suddenly heard over the loudspeakers, “WHAT THE HELL!!”

  He looked at his monitor and saw thousands of sleek silver colored warships passing his ship like he was standing motionless. They passed the blasted remains of the Romanov survivors and paused only long enough to fire missiles at any Romanov Warship that was still operational. More than twelve thousands of the sleek warships accelerated toward the second Romanov fleet and launched a massive barrage of missiles at the oncoming Romanov Wave moving toward them. The Senior Fleet Commander saw the wave of missiles coming at him at incredible speed and suddenly realized that the ships moving in on his fleet were from the Insectoid Planets. He shook his head and sighed as his ship went up in a massive blast.

  • • •

  Leonidas hear Carl yell, “I HAVE THOUSANDS OF WARSHIPS ENTERING NORMAL SPACE AND HEADED OUR WAY!!”

  Leo hit his communicator, “Gem, break away, break away!!”

  The Play Toy and Thermopylae turned away from the Romanov survivors and turned to meet the on rushing wave on new warships. Embree looked up from his panel, “They’re Insectoid Warships!!”

  “Blakely, pull up and stay out of the way of the Insectoid Fleet!!” Desiree shouted over the fleet frequency. The thousands of surviving Pirate Warships came to a stop and watched as the Insectoid Fleet began pulverizing the remaining Romanov Warships.

  “Is that what those ships are?” Blakely asked.

  “Yes!” Leo answered.

  Gem and Ana appeared on the wall monitor as Gold came rushing on the bridge. He said, “The Queen has sent the fleet to bring the Prince back home!” He looked up at the wall monitor and saw Ana put her arms around a human. He heard Leonidas say, “What are you going to do, Gem?”

  The man on the monitor said, “What’s done is done. I will not go back and leave Ana.”

  Suddenly, Gold’s communicator activated and everyone heard, “I have come to take the Prince back to the Queen. I have been unable to find him on any of my scans.”

  Gold looked up at Gem on the wall monitor and saw Ana holding him tightly with tears in her eyes. Gold lifted his communicator, “The Prince chose to command of one of our attack units and his ship was destroyed during the battle. If you had only arrived an hour ago, he would still be alive.”

  The Insectoid Fleet Commander appeared on the wall monitor next to Gem and Ana’s image and said, “Where was his ship when it was destroyed. We will take his remains back to be buried in honor befitting a member of the Royal Family.”

  Gold tilted his head right, “His ship was disabled by two blaster beams and then eight more ships opened fire on it vaporizing the ship. Nothing remains of it.”

  “I intend to do a thorough investigation. I will scan everything on and around this planet.”

  • • •

  The thousands of Insectoid Warships spread out and began moving toward Romania. Serge knew he stood no chance of escaping them and ordered his ship back to the ground. The Fleet Commander saw the thousands of advanced warships moving his way and made a critical decision, “Attention all ships, shut down your weapon systems and cut power to all systems but environmental. No one will make any move, activate a weapon, or any other reaction unless I directly order it!”

  • • •

  Carl turned around and looked at Leo, “Sir, the warships above the planet are shutting down their defenses.”

  Leo pressed his communicator, “Blakely, move the fleet in behind the Insectoids and surround the Romanov Warships above the planet! Get moving quickly! Gem follow me and get there as quickly as possible.”

  “What are you planning?”

  “To take advantage of the situation.”

  • • •

  The five thousand Romanov Warships watched the thousands of Insectoid Warships move into orbit above Romania and then begin spreading out above the planet running scans of the planet’s surface. The surviving Romanov Fleet Commander’s Communications Leader said, “Sir, I have two of the advanced Pirate ships arriving and the others will be here in five minutes. What do you want us to do?”

  The Commander saw he was in a bad situation. If he activated his defenses, the Insectoids would launch those killer missiles at his fleet. If he didn’t, he’d be wide open for the Pirates to attack. He pressed his communicator, “You will keep your defenses shutdown unless you are fired on!”

  He sat back in his chair and a few minutes later, a man appeared on his console. “It appears you are in a bad place. I am going to offer you a way to live and I really hope you take it.”

  “What is that?” The Romanov Fleet Commander asked as he activated the Fleet’s general frequency.

  “You will order the crews on all your warships to board their shuttles and leave for the planet’s surface.”

  “I’ll be killed if I do that.”

  “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. We intend to handle Mr. Romanov before that becomes an issue. However, you will be killed if you stay on your ships. I have all of your ships targeted with multiple blasters and I will fire on you if you don’t agree to leave.”

  The Fleet Commander knew he was in a no-win situation but he wasn’t going to die trying to be a hero. “I will do as you ask.”

  “One more thing, if you activate even one self-destruct circuit on your ships, I will order my ships to follow your shuttles to the planet and vaporize the city you land in, am I clear!!”

  “Yes.” The Fleet Commander had opened the general fleet frequency during his conversation with the pirate where all of the ships under his command could hear the conversation. Before he could issue orders, shuttles were already leaving his fleet and headed toward the planet. By the time the insectoids completed their scans, the five thousand warships were empty of all the crews.

  The Insectoid Fleet Commander appeared on Leo and Gem’s monitors, “It appears we have suffered a great loss. The Prince was the best of us and I know the Queen is going to be greatly upset.”

  “Why did you delay so long in coming?” Leonidas asked.

  “The Queen felt that the humans had it coming for putting her planet in danger.”

  “What changed her mind?”

  “The Prince sent her a recorded message telling her that humans were much like our species. He said that some of us refuse to see differences between members of other species and some of us see them clearly. Some of us won’t fight for honor and some of us will die for it. She was very upset and ordered us to leave immediately. If the Prince had sent the message earlier, we would have probably arrived in time to save him.”

  “Tell your Queen that I am truly thankful for her support and I’m sorry for her loss.”

  The Fleet Leader turned his head left acknowledging Leo’s comment and said, “There is another one of us with you. The Queen has ordered me to bring him back with us.”

  Gold was listening to the conversation and stepped behind Leonidas where he could be seen, “If you would send a shuttle…”

  “I’m launching one now. I am also leaving a transport close to the filament in normal space with enough missiles to resupply your two ships.” Gold tilted his he
ad and the Fleet Leader said, “The Prince said in his message that you would be using all of your inventory to kill the ones that put us in danger. I think it was that comment that changed her mind.”

  Leo smiled, “Tell her we greatly appreciate it. We did exhaust our inventory.”

  The display went dark and Gold looked up at the monitor with Gem and Ana on it, “I am going to miss you, Majesty.”

  “And I you, Gold.”

  Gold turned to Leonidas, “I’ve never thanked you for having that conversation with me about valuing other beings as much as I do my own species. I’ve learned that everyone I’ve been with here are honorable beings and you changed the way I see the universe around me. Thank you.”

  “I wish you could stay.”

  Gold clacked, “At some level, so do I. But my destiny lies with my people. I hope we’ll see each other again; it is, after all, a small universe.”

  Leo smiled and Gold left the bridge for the landing bay to board the arriving shuttle. Blakely appeared on his monitor and said, “What are you planning to do with these warships.”

  Leonidas shrugged, “Some of our Leaders have sustained damage to their ships. The ones that have the most damage will replace their ship with one of these.”

  “You know that’s going to cause a fight. Everyone is going to want one of these new modern warships whether or not their ship was damaged.”

  “Then send enough crews to fly the ships back to Tortuga and the Council can decide how to distribute them.”

  “What do we do now?” Blakely asked.

  Leo looked at Embree, “Can we send a message to the planet that will be heard by pretty much everyone.”

  “I can power it so that it comes in on every communication device.”