by John Walker
“How’d she operate? Everything work as expected?”
“Yes, she’s held her own. We’ve found some issues with the jump drive that we’re working out and learned some new tactics from our allies, which will require some extra work to our equipment but all around, I’d say we’ve got an incredible ship. If the other two are half as well put together, we’ll be in good shape.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ve been worried about how she’d hold up in combat, how she would fare under real stress tests.”
“Believe me, we’ve put this ship through the paces. She’s not brand new anymore and as she settles in, we’re definitely learning how to get the most out of her.” Gray hesitated. “Have you decided who will command the new ships?”
“I’ve been thinking about it and have a short list of candidates. Why, do you have a suggestion?”
Gray hesitated for only a moment. “Commander Everly would make a good choice. You should at least talk to him. He’s got the advantage of knowing how these operate and what to expect. Plus, he’s seen the enemy up close and personal. That should give him an edge over those who haven’t fought yet.”
“Good point. I hadn’t considered Adam but I really should have. Has he nipped some of his impulsiveness in the bud?”
“I’m still coaching him out of that but I’m confident he’ll come around.” Gray smirked. “I seem to remember you had a bit of that when you were a newer captain.”
“Yes, but the stakes weren’t as high then. Now, we need pretty much perfect men to do the job right. You know what I’m talking about too. We can’t afford crazy risks. Losing one of those ships would be catastrophic.”
“Understood. Well…” Gray shrugged. “At least think about it.”
“I’ll certainly have a conversation with him. He deserves that much.” Daniel paused a moment. “I hate to change the subject, but I’ve got a new assignment for you when you get here, another trip beyond our borders.”
Gray’s stomach sank. Another engagement with the enemy did not pique his interest. Frankly, he’d hoped for a little time off for himself. Battling the alien invaders took a lot out of a man and though he knew he could handle more, he didn’t enjoy the idea of having to. Especially considering what they’d all seen.
“What’s going on, Daniel?”
“Pirates, surprisingly.” Daniel sighed. “They took over a mining facility belonging to the alliance and get this, they somehow stole one of their battleships.”
Much as the situation sounded dire, Gray couldn’t help but feel relieved. Tension in his shoulders loosened and he sank into his chair. Rubbing his eyes, he focused on what he just heard and found himself in a state of disbelief. What kind of brazen criminals could possibly do what he just described?
“That’s incredible. How? I’ve seen those things in action and under competent command, they can hold their own against the enemy pretty well.” Gray felt a tinge of worry for Kale. He still hoped the man somehow survived.
“Then we’re even more worried about it,” Daniel replied. “We don’t know how the pirates seized the vessel but they sure did. Apparently, they try to steal shipments all the time but they finally had the means to take the whole damn facility and exercised it. Now, they’ve got a lot of hostages.”
“So what do you want us to do?”
“We need you to reclaim the facility. There are a lot of innocent people on board, basically hostages now. They, and the structure, need to be taken intact.”
“Do we know how many people we’re talking about?”
“It’s in the intel,” Daniel said. “The other objective is to take back the battleship. We need that with minimal damage as well.”
“Wait, I have to somehow disable the ship?” Gray considered the objective for a moment. “It might not even be possible. Depending on the command these people have of the systems on there, it could be incredibly dangerous, especially with limiting rules of engagement. I’ll definitely try but I’d be crazy to give a guarantee.”
“Understood. Your primary duty is to defend the Behemoth but if it looks like you can’t possibly save the battleship, then do what you have to do. In fact, I’d rather you destroy it than leave it in pirate hands. But consider this: if we pull this off, it’ll be a big win. We’ll get priority shipping privileges with the mine and they’ll stay on to help us with the third ship.”
“How close is the second one to being complete?”
“Oh, it was close enough to being done that a little Alliance tech pushed it over the edge.” Daniel hesitated for a moment. Gray began to think the line dropped when the Chief spoke again. “The trouble involved the element to ignite the engines. That’s how they learned their station had been compromised.”
Gray sighed. “Should I just turn around now? I’m sure we could get to the mine pretty fast and get on it.”
“No, bring in the Alliance personnel. You can’t have them on board while you’re out there. Plus, I’d feel better if you rearmed and resupplied. Yes, we’re in a hurry but not at the expense of mission success. You can deploy shortly after. Will that work?”
“Yes, I’ll meet with my department heads about it. Can you get me the intel?”
“It’s already on the way and you should have it in your mailbox. Go over it and let us know if you need anything else when you get here. I trust your judgement about this but we’re here to help so don’t hesitate to use us. We’ve got some good ideas…well, we do once in a while.”
“You’ve already seen this information,” Gray said. “You really think we can take it all alone, huh?”
“It’s a mining facility so sparsely armed. Even if they manned those cannons they can’t get through your shields and the Behemoth is a mobile military base. You’ve got everything you need to occupy a small country. I have total faith you can take it back and hold it if need be.”
“That’s good enough for me.” Gray took a deep breath. “Thank you for your confidence, Sir. We’ll talk soon.”
Gray killed the communicator and brought up the message he received. The Alliance had been thorough with their documentation, far more than Gray anticipated. He read through it all before sending out a meeting request to his people. They’d have to discuss it before heading to meet the threat.
Especially the marines. This would be a heavy task for them as they had to not only clear the station but an entire starship as well. Providing they could figure out a way to get them on board the ship. He hoped Clea had an answer. On the surface, it didn’t look possible to take the craft intact but he’d long since given up saying something couldn’t happen.
He sent his people the intel and went to the briefing room to wait. In a half hour, they’d plan their next engagement. At least this time it didn’t involve the true enemy. He’d grown tired of dealing with their suicidal zeal. He wanted a straight forward situation, something where the opponent cared enough about their own lives to behave rationally.
Considering all he saw during their last fight, the fact that the enemy threw away entire star cruisers and sacrificed their own lives several times to gain an advantage, he wanted a foe with some humanity. It seemed odd to think it, especially since it shouldn’t be better. He could relate to pirates on some level. They were more like him.
The enemy, on the other hand, didn’t think like them at all. They were alien in every sense of the word. That alone made them something to be afraid of. He chose not to be, fought against fear because deep down, he knew they were simply unknown—not supernatural or even more than a bunch of religious zealots.
Humanity faced threats like them many times in history and those were from other, rational humans. Religious infighting caused no end of trouble for the nations of Earth for as far back as history was recorded. It helped to keep that in mind while they faced the enemy but it didn’t make it easier when they lost people as a result of their horror.
Pirates may be many things but they rarely proved willing to die for a cause. Gray was
counting on that. They wanted a quick buck, not to make a statement. All he had to do was get some of his people aboard and some superior firepower would take care of the rest. I love how simple it sounds in my head. If only I were young enough to believe my own bravado.
***
Rathe Darnell commanded the pirates, if one could truly lead such a rabble. Both human and kielan personnel worked his ship, which was how they managed to capture the battleship. However, the station took a different kind of experience and knowledge, something they didn’t have before they took a freighter of supplies heading for the station.
Thantis…whatever his surname was…had been en route back to the station. He’d been let go after an accident scarred him terribly and left him with a limp. Working as a specialist in Alliance tech, he’d been responsible for the reactors keeping the place aloft. He knew every access tunnel and precisely where to shoot to do the least amount of damage but to make an impression.
Rathe didn’t trust Thantis completely but the man definitely wanted to get back at the government for what happened to him. When they boarded the station, the lean man seemed particularly pleased to be back. He immediately set about assessing the security systems and suddenly started to laugh.
“They didn’t make any significant changes or improvements,” Thantis said. “My passwords still work. These idiots! They shouldn’t have gotten rid of me! Apparently, none of them understand the concept of protection or being careful. I’ll have full access to the network in a moment…then we can have the cargo moved into position to take.”
“Excellent.” Rathe watched him for a moment, wondering if the guy might be a little unbalanced. It didn’t really matter. Most of them were a little crazy for taking on the super powers during a war. But that’s where the profits were. Tiny cuts in the rear while they were all focused outward. “We’re going to secure people in their homes. Can you cut their access so they’ll keep quiet?”
“Yes, of course. None of them have access to anything from those little holes so it’ll be fine. Just seal the doors and they’ll be like luxurious little cells.” Thantis shook his head. “To think I ever liked being here. It’s insulting.”
“Sure…” Rathe shook his head and turned to one of the kielans on his crew. “Xurn, grab as many guys as you need and herd these cows to where they belong, okay?”
Xurn tilted his head. “Cows?”
Rathe rolled his eyes. “Um…cattle? Herd animals? Any of that ring in your kielan head?”
“Ah, yes…like the belicons.”
“Sure…those…get them to their rooms.” Rathe rubbed his temples. “Thantis, how long before you’re done with everything? We’ve been here…well…we’ve been here too long.”
It had taken forever to get boarded and secure the people in the promenade. His own forces swept the entire inhabited area. The security didn’t put up a fight but finding every nook and cranny took the better part of a day. When they finally got them into one place to watch, Rathe finally took the control center.
Thantis began his magic but it didn’t look like it would be quick.
“A few hours,” Thantis said. “Maybe a little more. These computers are slow. Plus, we’ve got to move all the Ulem. That’ll take the better part of a day.”
“Excellent…” Rathe sat down. “So we’re here for a while. I hope you’re right about no one getting a message out. If the Alliance shows up…”
“What? You’ll blow them out of the sky with their own ship.” Thantis waved his hand at him. “Or take another and build a fleet. Even if they bring a dozen warships, it won’t matter. We have hostages and they’ll never risk civilians, believe me. We’re going to be fine.”
Rathe’s experience with the military didn’t put them in such a light. He thought they may well blow up the station before allowing pirates to make away with all the goods. Of course, the only way anyone would find out they held control over the station was when the shipments became late.
“Get me the shipping schedule,” Rathe said. “And let me know when you’re close to being done. I want this place under tight control as soon as possible.”
***
Clea sat in her quarters staring at the ceiling when the call for a meeting came over her tablet. She checked, saw Gray was the organizer and sat up. She’d enjoyed her downtime but it came with a price. Her mind continually drifted to her family and specifically her sister. The woman’s treachery made Clea sick, so much so she had no idea how to break the news to their parents.
They were kind hearted people, the type that wouldn’t know how to respond to the news she had. Betrayal didn’t make sense to them. Other traitors had been discovered and their efforts broadcast to the population. She remembered her parents finding it totally unfathomable that anyone would do such a thing.
Most of the people in her family were considered patriots. When they learned what Vora did, they would certainly disown her. The next step would be to distance themselves. The woman Clea grew up with would be stricken from the family history books, her images removed from albums and any mention of her would be frowned upon.
For all intents and purposes, Clea no longer had a sister. Maybe she shouldn’t be sad about it. Maybe the sorrow she felt was misplaced but she was too kind hearted to be callous. Her father might well tell her she shouldn’t waste her grief on Vora. Her mother, whether or not she agreed, would do so publicly.
She envisioned being alone with her feelings and if she didn’t want to experience a lot of familial drama, she would need to remain silent. The last thing they needed was dissent in their ranks. Then again, the chances of her seeing her parents anytime soon were incredibly small. It wasn’t like she had a plan to visit in the next few days.
Clea pulled on her jacket and looked at herself in the mirror. The woman looking back seemed exhausted though none of the typical signs marred her face. No dark circles, no slouch in posture. Her silver-blue eyes simply lacked their normal luster. Sorrow mixed with exhaustion. Everything that happened back at the research facility left her feeling empty.
Gathering the data and saving the people worked out but all the Alliance ships and crew…poor decisions, poor thinking cost them all. Then Kale seemingly sacrificed himself. She didn’t want to believe it. Not in her heart. He’d proven to be a solid commander and to have lost him was a great blow to their cause.
And seven more ships. Don’t forget that number.
Their armada could withstand quite a lot and manufacturing plants on their home world produced ships fairly quickly. That’s why the human ship wouldn’t take long for them. Mei’Gora surely brought a fabrication unit to assist with the longer parts of the job. Clea petitioned for one several times but her commanders refused.
They didn’t trust humanity with such technology back then. Now, they might not have a choice.
Gray proved to be a cunning commander, the type the Alliance needed. Many of the kielan Anthars relied on traditional tactics and they partially worked. They didn’t always result in victory though and men like Kale switched it up. Creative thinkers began to take over the fighting and, in Clea’s opinion, that’s precisely what they needed.
Clea settled her hair, grabbed her tablet and headed for the meeting. An email explained the situation and included a file about pirates. They captured an Alliance mining facility. Wow, just when I thought we couldn’t possibly get more bad news. Hostages were involved and the kicker came from the commandeered Alliance warship.
They stole a warship? How? That Anthar’s out of a job…if he’s still alive.
She flipped through the layout of the station and finished just as she stepped into the briefing room. Gray was there alone and she sat to his left. “Hello,” she said without looking up from her studies. “This is awful.”
“But hopefully easier than the last two things we did,” Gray said. “How’re you feeling? You seem…”
“Tired?” Clea offered.
Gray shrugged.
“Sad?”<
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“Maybe a little of both.” Gray tilted his head. “Everything catching up to you?”
“I wouldn’t say that…I just…I guess I’ve had too much time to think.”
“That’s the enemy of every soldier ever,” Gray replied. “But your conscience should be clear. You’ve acted with integrity in everything you’ve done as far as I’m concerned.”
“The military part of our actions don’t bother me,” Clea said. “The family part, the personal aspects…those are what weigh on my heart. I’ll figure it out. It will not effect my performance. I promise.”
“I never imagined it would.” Gray patted her arm. “Believe me, I’m more worried about my performance than yours.”
Clea’s brow wrinkled. “Do you have doubts, Captain?”
“Doubts? No…concerns? Worries? Things that upset me? Losing men, Kale…those bother me. I don’t second guess but I do spend time trying to figure out what I could’ve done better to avoid losses. Retrospective analysis is not a bad thing as long as you don’t become mired in second guesses. Those are pretty much the bane of any commander.”
The department heads began filing in and shortly after they began the briefing. Gray went over their intelligence thoroughly and explained the situation about the battleship, the hostages and what humanity hoped to gain by getting involved. They needed to be quick in getting out there before the pirates got away or hurt anyone.
Chief Engineer Maury Higgins reported critical repairs were complete and they were wrapping up a few smaller projects, all of which would be done before they jumped again. They went over the drive several times but would need to consult with one of the Alliance experts before they performed another microjump.
“I just can’t trust that it’ll make it through another one, Captain. Not after what we experienced before.”
Gray nodded. “Understood. I’m not sure we’ll have to this time but we can jump, right?”