Colin sent his Marine contingent to reinforce the Troopers he’d tasked to capture a Freighter. FNS Harmon’s Sensors detected a higher concentration of life signs on this vessel so Colin worried they might hold a sizeable opposing force. The Marines burned through the hull in a location next to the ship’s Bridge. This ship fell to the Federation forces faster than any of the others. While it had more combatants on board, they were prison-guards and hadn’t trained to fight a coordinated and well-equipped adversary.
When the Federation troops subdued the Pirates and controlled the ship, the Troopers checked surveillance on the Holds. What they saw was shocking. The Holds held over a thousand Kislarans. A few of those needed help.
By the time the Federation captured the five Pirate vessels, they’d suffered twenty-three casualties. Four Troopers died, the others sustained various wounds. Colin contacted Captain Koral.
Colin said, “Captain, thank you for your help here. We’ve taken the five ships, but I need your help again. One Freighter had around a thousand Kislarans in the Holds. We must identify the ship crew. Can you send a few of your people to help?”
“Yes, Commodore.”
“One thing, Captain. Admiral Zhavan has no authority, your Queen deactivated her commission and asked me to return her to Kislara. I intend following your Queens orders to the letter. The Admiral will travel on FNS Harmon. We will treat her with the courtesy befitting an Admiral except she has no authority. We’ll escort you and the three Destroyers we’ve recaptured home.”
Hangelore Orbital
On Hangelore Orbital, a few Alliance staff remained after their masters abandoned them. They watched the Federation Fleet approaching the Station and cringed. They wouldn’t last long if they resisted.
The question in their minds was, “What will the Federation troops do to us?”
The Federation forces had split into four groups. Two ships chased the five vessels fleeing for the Jump-Point to Dathelore. Others, stayed near the Jump-Point dismantling Hangelore’s defenses. Seventeen ships pursued Suhmarlin Hazilsor’s fighting ships across the System as he tried to save his own skin. The rest headed for Hangelore Orbital. The Station had no chance of defending itself against the oncoming force, but one manager who’d missed his ship wanted to fight. Davan Quana held a reputation for his brutal nature. He’d killed people in the past for not moving fast enough when he issued an order. Quana terrified most of the remaining staff on Hangelore Orbital.
Dominique, a human slave, born in the Alliance territories knew no other life. This young woman was far more intelligent than the Pirates understood. Females who displayed too much initiative in the Alliance lived their lives in hell, so they learned to hide it early. Dominique had developed the knack of showing just the right balance of initiative and subservience to please her masters most of the time. The thing that Dominique’s master never realized was that she had befriended a human soldier they captured years earlier. He taught her self-defense, and how to kill an unsuspecting target with her bare hands. Dominique loved the man for his kindness.
Quana kept Dominique to serve him when the others left. He yelled, “Get me water slave, hurry.”
Dominique bobbed her head in acknowledgment and scurried out of the Command-Center to follow his orders. She returned five minutes later, pushing a grav-trolley with water and cups on it. When Dominique entered the Command-Center, Davan Quana was arguing with one of the staff. Quana wanted to fight to the death, the other Pirate asserted that they should surrender. The slave remained as unobtrusive as possible and maneuvered the trolley near Davan Quana, so his water was within reach. He waved his arms around and knocked the water over so a little splashed onto a console, causing it to fail.
Dominique held no illusions for her future, she might die and chose to kill her tormentor first. She snapped and used all her strength to push the trolley into Quana’s midriff. As the grav-trolley hit him, Dominique stepped around it and lanced her stiffened hand into his throat, crushing his windpipe and rupturing blood vessels. Quana fell to the ground, choking to death, drowning in his own blood. He held a weapon when she attacked but dropped it in shock. Dominque scooped it up and pointed it at the remaining crew.
The Pirate who argued with Quana said, “It’s okay Dominique. You’ve done us a favor here. You need not threaten us with the weapon, we won’t harm you. Please, take a seat while we surrender.”
This change confused Dominique. She expected them to kill her, but none reached for a weapon, and she sensed no hostility. Instead, they ignored her while they sent messages to the approaching Fleet promising surrender. Others locked the defensive weaponry out and deactivated the Shields. With those tasks completed, they had rendered Hangelore Orbital defenseless. During this, the young slave woman sat on her chair confused at the unexpected turn of events. She still had the weapon, but it rested in her lap, forgotten.
Several minutes later, surrender terms arrived. The Control-Center staff considered the terms of surrender better than expected so agreed without argument. They only had to cycle Federation Troopers through the Air-Locks, and they would live. The staff replied with their acceptance without delay.
Further out, the five fleeing ships began a long loop to bring them back to the Station. Hazilsor’s force reached the Jump-Point and left Hangelore. The Federation ships that pursued the Pirate leader gave up the chase and turned toward the Station. They took days to arrive at Hangelore Orbital.
The ships approaching the Orbital slowed and adjusted course to pass the Station. Each vessel launched two Assault-Shuttles as it approached. The Shuttles closed on the Station and the first two headed to Air-Locks near the Control-Center. The Pirates did everything the Federation controllers instructed and waited to see if they would live. Dominique had gone into shock. One Pirate approached her and removed the weapon she held. She turned her gaze to him, waiting to die.
Instead, he smiled, and said, “Dominique, it’s okay, just sit there. Federation Troopers will arrive soon. They won’t hurt you unless they’re threatened. I’ll explain that you killed Quana and allowed us to surrender. They’ll take good care of you, I promise.”
Dominique nodded, she’d never had much control over her life and didn’t think this had changed. Soon after, armored Troopers made a tactical entry into the Control-Center. By then, the staff had gathered their weapons and placed them in a neat pile to one side of the compartment near the hatch. The Troopers noted this and relaxed. When they saw Quana’s body and the deck and asked what happened.
The lead Pirate said, “He wanted to fight to the death. Dominique killed him. Please, don’t hurt her, she’s a slave who reached the end of her tether and snapped.”
Sergeant Frani Daemalo, said, “We’ll look after her. For now, keep cycling the Assault-Shuttles through the docking ports. Once we’ve secured the Station, we’ll bring ships in to dock.”
“We won’t cause any problems Sergeant. These are technicians or slaves, not soldiers.”
“Maybe, but we must make sure we have everybody under control before we dare risk a capital ship.”
“Yes, Sergeant. I understand I’m your enemy, but I didn’t lie about surrendering the Station. I understand your caution, I hope to avoid further bloodshed.”
Three days later, FNS Kaval docked with Hangelore Orbital. FNS Harmon followed a day after Devlaran accepted the Station’s formal surrender. The battles in Space finished with the Station’s submission. Out near the Jump-Point, the Cobras destroyed the last of the Mines and Missile Platforms. Until then, Federation forces took over two thousand prisoners during the campaign. Now they had to persuade the ground troops to surrender.
Hangelore, the World
The people of Hangelore call their species lamson. Lamsons are a bipedal species with reptilian roots. They have blocky bodies, and to humans, looked broad for their height. Their skin is tough, and they don’t sweat. Lamsons remove excess heat in their breath. When Suhmarlin Hazilsor’s Pirates invaded, the lam
son had reached a stage of development equivalent to that achieved by humanity during the early 1950s. Hangelore’s natives were on the cusp of explosive discovery and invention, but Hazilsor’s invasion stole that from them. When the Pirates took over, vital elements of Hangelore’s military hid to form a resistance. The lamson leaders soon learned overt attacks on the Pirates were deadly, for both their remaining military and surrounding civilians.
They stopped the attacks and turned to infiltration hoping someday, to free their people. Sethin Garashil, a female lamson agent on the Station, thought the time had come. These soldiers weren’t rough or crude like the others. They offered food and medical help to anyone who needed it. While the people weren’t allowed to wander, the newcomers didn’t treat them like slaves either. The agent’s problem was that the new people kept a close watch on everybody. She had a small transceiver hidden in a duct, but couldn’t reach it to ask for instructions. Sethin considered her options. She could identify herself and see what happened. Although Garashil suspected her people had other agents here, she didn’t know for sure. If these new invaders proved ruthless, she and the other lamsons might die. A Federation Officer entered the large room where they held the Station’s lamson population.
The Officer peered at the people in the compartment, sighed and said, “I’m Captain Stark from the Federation of Sentient People. The Federation came to remove a threat to our people. We are not hostile to Hangelore or its population unless the Government and people offer active support to slavery and Piracy. Federation forces control Hangelore Space, but surveillance shows a sizeable Alliance force remaining on your homeworld. We don’t have enough troops to defeat them, not without a high risk of hurting your civilian population. Leaving the Alliance in place isn’t an acceptable alternative, so we are asking for information. I hope somebody here can help us solve this problem. Will anyone help me save lives on Hangelore?”
Kevin noticed the locals looking around the compartment. They seemed undecided on the best way to respond. After a minute, a female stepped forward.
Kevin nodded to her and said, “Do you wish to talk here, or somewhere else?”
Sethin replied, “Somewhere else, I alone will talk to you. I pray you are not like the ones you defeated. You have done nothing to harm my people yet.”
Stark’s face twitched as he waved toward the hatch. Sethin thought this person radiated power and danger, but it wasn’t directed at her. She had second thoughts, but if she could save her people from slavery or death, it was worth the risk. Captain Stark led her into a nearby compartment containing comfortable seating and a low table.
He said, “We wish no harm to your people. The Federation prefers to build a friendship, one where you’re protected from outside aggression. Once we root the last Pirates out, we’ll keep away from your world unless you ask us to stay. We need to understand several things before we decide how to move forward. How close are your people to the Alliance Bases? Are hostages held in Alliance facilities? Is there a way we can protect your population?”
Sethin replied, “The primary base is in the middle of our biggest city. Our people live outside the walls, but they have lamson slaves inside the compound. They don’t need hostages if we attack them, they kill hundreds in the surrounding districts. Retribution is swift and harsh.”
“How do they retaliate? Do they send soldiers out to kill people?”
“No Captain, they send flying machines to bomb their targets. Our weapons don’t work on those machines.”
Stark mulled this over for a few moments before he replied, “We can stop those machines, but people on the ground might still die. If your Government is hiding in your world, we need to work with them. It is better if we help your people free themselves from the yoke of slavery. I imagine you have plenty of anger so need revenge for your suffering. Can I send you to the surface with two of my people and a device that will allow them to talk to us? Help them contact your leaders, and we’ll negotiate a way to help. We won’t land troops in your world without permission. We won’t attack anyone without permission.”
“Why did your people come?”
“These Pirates caused problems in the Federation for many years. Several months ago, they attacked a Colony belonging to one of our members. Our people sent a Task-Force to save the Colony, but the Pirates left before the Kislaran’s arrived. The Kislaran Admiral found Hangelore’s coordinates and attacked. The Pirates devastated her forces on Down-Jump. We came to salvage the situation.”
“I… I’m not sure. We don’t know you. The last outsiders to come invaded and enslaved us.”
“This is a fair concern. I can tell you what we’re like, but you have no reason to believe me. Think about it. Perhaps you’ll talk to Commodore Gordon when he has time this afternoon. Tell our people when… if you’re willing to speak.”
Stark led Sethin back to the others and left her. She sat in the corner to mull over the options. With time, Sethin concluded she must ask to contact her people. They could tell her how to resolve the problem. Sethin asked to see Captain Stark again.
Hours later, General Dooma Nelfaro looked at the message he’d received from agent Garashil on the Space Station. She’d included the correct code words to show nobody had coerced her into making contact.
Nelfaro looked at King Tora Dramat and said, “The people orbiting our world are stronger than the others. We can’t hope to stand against them if they take over our world.”
Tora replied, “It’s true, Dooma. She says they are not as rough on their prisoners. They’ve offered medical care for those who need help. I fear we have no choice but to agree to a meeting.”
“Not you, Majesty. You are what holds our people together these days. They stay strong for you.”
“Perhaps, but I must meet them.”
“Yes, Majesty, but not yet. They’ve asked to send someone with a communications device to meet us. If I meet their agents, we can decide what to do next. I’ll meet them far from here.”
“While I agree somebody must meet them, you won’t until we’ve had more time to test their intentions. Send an Officer who doesn’t know this facility’s location.”
“None of our other Generals are suitable.”
“We must have one person we trust. Find him, or her. Could we arrange a remote meeting, General?”
“This is possible, Sir. There are several I trust who meet your criteria Majesty. We need someone to smell them, somebody to relay personal impressions of these people.”
“Make it so, Dooma.”
The message to Hangelore Orbital was terse, containing a set of coordinates and time. Stark opted to go, along with Cameron Davis. The Marines loaded medical supplies onto the Assault-Shuttle then boarded with Sethin Garashil. Soon, the Shuttle plunged through the atmosphere over an ocean. They leveled out at ten thousand metres and streaked toward the meeting coordinates. By the time they reached the shoreline, they were flying at four hundred metres and two hundred knots but still descended and slowed. General Nelfaro’s rendezvous coordinates were five kilometres from the sea. The Underground chose the coordinates for the remote location, far from anything, or anyone, important.
The Assault-Shuttle settled to the ground, and its occupants moved to unload the supplies they brought. Lamson troops watched from the surrounding bush. Their orders said to not interfere with these strangers. Besides, a lamson female helped unload the supplies, so they watched and waited.
Soon, the remaining people moved away. The Shuttle leaped into the air to ascend to orbit. It left the land far behind before climbing into Space, so the remaining Alliance troops didn’t detect the landing site. If they discovered the Shuttle, they wouldn’t know where it landed. With the Shuttle gone, a lone lamson Officer approached the group waiting near the supplies. He spoke to Garashil first, asking if the strangers understood the lamson’s tongue.
When she assured him they could understand, he turned toward the humans and said, “Will you let my soldiers carr
y these things for you?”
Stark replied, “Much of this material is to help you. We have medical supplies, food for ourselves, and a communications unit so we can talk to our people in Space.”
The lamson nodded and made an expansive gesture. Lamson soldiers appeared from behind rocks and bushes around their position. Stark established an implant to implant link and sent, ‘Impressive. I suspected they were there but never detected them.’
Cameron nodded as she looked at her surroundings. Hours later, they arrived in a small valley and moved into a cave near the end. Their escort showed them to an area where they’d set up a communications system. The locals spent ten years installing a buried landline to give them secure communications to this hidden military base.
The operator nodded and handed Stark a headset with an attached microphone. It didn’t fit well because a lamson’s head is bigger than a human’s. It enabled conversation with whoever waited on the other end.
The voice asked, “What are your demands?”
Stark replied, “We have no demands. For now, we offer help to protect your citizens while you defeat your invaders. We must move past distrust to meet and plan. Longer term, the Federation wishes to set up a diplomatic relationship with your people, but that is for the future. After this campaign finishes, we shall discuss our respective futures but whatever that is, you get to choose. I assure you, we have no wish to invade. We will defend ourselves but won’t attack.”
The voice said, “Let me talk to my Officer. We will decide soon.”
Stark handed the headset back and left to separate the supplies. The Marines busied themselves over the following days, separating their own supplies from the ones they brought for the local people. They treated several wounded soldiers, one of whom was dying. Those recovered much faster than the lamson people believed possible. The reputation as healers helped. Garashil disappeared soon after they reached the cave. A week later, she returned with another lamson. Stark and Davis recognized rank when they saw it and treated the newcomer with respect.
Star Strike: Book 3 of the Star Man Series Page 41