by Selby, Caleb
“I remember,” Darion answered quietly. “When did you get out of prison Kebbs?”
Kebbs’ smile faded and he lowered his head. “I got out six months ago,” he said with a touch of shame echoing in his voice. “I’ve been clean for all of it.”
Darion nodded, not sure if he believed it.
“How about you?” asked Kebbs, anxious to change topics. “Looks like you’re doing pretty good for yourself?”
Darion glanced around the office casually, as if he didn’t realize how amazing his layout was. “Doing all right,” he said in false modesty.
“I’ll say,” remarked Kebbs as he took a few steps deeper into the office.
Darion glared at Kebbs’ filthy boots incredulously as they tramped across his beautiful hardwoods that had just been buffed the previous morning prior to their occupancy.
“I didn’t realize the army had money for this kind of stuff?” Kebbs said in awe. “I sort of thought they spent what they had on guns and soldiers. Who knew interior decorating was also on the list?”
“Can I help you with something?” Darion snapped, already anxious for his uninvited guest to leave.
Kebbs thrust his hands deep into his pockets and plopped down on one of two leather sofas facing each other in the center of the room. He then looked back at Darion and smiled again. “Just stopping by to say hi to an old friend.”
Darion sighed and reluctantly walked over and sat down across from Kebbs. “So, what have you been up to lately?” he asked as disinterested as possible, hoping Kebbs would get the hint.
“Oh this and that,” Kebbs answered. “Trying to stay out of trouble,” he said followed by a chuckle.
“So you’ve given up killing children then?” jabbed Darion venomously. “I don’t have any more brothers if that’s why you’re here.”
Kebbs shook his head as old conversations and bitter grudges between the two men instantly came to the surface. “That’s not why I’m here,” he answered calmly.
“Then why are you here?” Darion shot back. “I thought I made it pretty clear last time how I felt about seeing you. None of that has changed!”
Without another word of protest, Kebbs stood to his feet and removed his hands from his pockets. “I’m sorry to have bothered you Darion. I’ll see myself out.”
“If I ever have issues with my trash service I’ll know who to call!” Darion added sarcastically.
Kebbs smiled and looked over his shoulder. “Likewise if I ever see the streets crawling with Krohns or need my furniture reupholstered.”
The door closed behind his unwanted guest and Darion struck the arm of the sofa in anger. How he hated Kebbs. After a few minutes he regained his composure and let out a deep sigh. He stood to go back to his desk but stopped short when he noticed a folded piece of paper on the floor near the sofa Kebbs had sat in. He picked it up and tugged the folds open. It was a message from Kebbs.
It read: “Chief: There are no holes in the Clear Skies System. Sending your troops to the arctic is a trap intended to empty the capital of the army. Meet me at the Refrac War Memorial fountain at noon tomorrow. We have to talk.”
Darion muttered under his breath as he tucked the message into his pocket. He pondered his course of action for only a moment.
“Reesa,” he said opening the door and stepping into the reception area. Upon entering, he glanced over and noticed his attractive concierge typing away feverishly on two different computers, taking notes and jotting down random numbers on a small pad.
“Have I really given you that much work already?” he asked, inadvertently startling Reesa who promptly closed down all her active applications with the press of single button and then looked up at Darion. “Ahhh” exclaimed Darion with a smile. “Doing a little shopping are we?”
Reesa glanced down at her note pad and then awkwardly back to Darion. “Sorry,” she said coyly. “Its...my niece’s birthday next week and I haven’t gotten her anything yet,” she said as she casually tucked the note pad into an attaché case beside the desk without Darion noticing. “I’m sorry, Sir. It won’t happen again.”
Darion shook his head and laughed. “Don’t worry about it, really. I’ll try to be louder when I come out of my office next time.”
Reesa’s cheeks were bright red and she was beyond embarrassed but she forced a smile. “What did you need from me General?”
Darion continued to smile. “I just needed to know what I am doing tomorrow at noon?”
“Just a sec,” Reesa replied as she glanced at her monitor. “Looks like you have a meeting with the Joint Commission on Military Expenditures.”
“Can it be canceled?” Darion asked.
“Umm...not really,” Reesa answered. “It’s the Joint Commission, Sir. It’s sort of a big deal.”
Darion shook his head and glanced back at the note. He sighed. “Do it anyways.”
“Really?” exclaimed Reesa. “Everything ok?”
“I just have something important to take care of,” answered Darion.
“More important than addressing six senators and eight congressmen about your financial plans with the money you asked them for?”
“Tell them I have the flu or something,” Darion said. “Be creative.”
“Anything you say General,” said Reesa as she brushed a strand of blond hair out of her pretty face.
“Thanks,” replied Darion. He was about to go back to his office when he stopped and looked back at Reesa. She had already busied herself typing the General’s regrets and seemed oblivious that he was looking at her. He didn’t stare long and was just turning away when she looked up.
“Did you need something else General?” she asked with a smile.
“Yes. Call me Darion.”
“My manager insists we address all our tenants professionally,” Reesa answered. “As an army general, you should be addressed as one.”
Darion shook his head. “Do you want me to call your manager and tell him you aren’t doing something I asked?” he said with a flirtatious smile.
Reesa looked momentarily flustered but quickly regained composure and looked up. “That won’t be necessary...Darion.”
“That’s better,” said Darion. “Now we’re on a first name basis. Not bad for our first day together huh?”
She smiled politely but did not say anything.
“I can take a hint,” Darion said and then laughed as he backed toward his office. “Why don’t you take an early day and go shopping for your niece. I’ll be fine here.”
“But, Sir…Darion. It’s my first day. I can’t leave early on my first day.”
“I say you can,” said Darion. “Now get lost. I’ll see you tomorrow!”
Reesa reluctantly gave in and after thanking Darion and apologizing once more for her temporary “indiscretion”, she left the office, attaché bag in tow.
Once she was gone, Darion walked back to his office and casually walked to his window and looked out over the city. The sun had since set, but Larep was still bright as ever. Lighted transport tubes, skyscrapers, streetlights, and relay posts all did their best to combat the darkness that encroached upon the city.
12. Treachery!
The lone figure paced back and forth in the cold, darkened hangar. He periodically glanced out the entrance anxiously. It felt like forever before the slender shuttle finally came into view. It slowed its approach as it crossed the field barrier and came to a steady hover as it made its way through the narrow confines of the hangar. Small stabilizing thrusters along the shuttle fired periodically, guiding the craft gently to its berth along the wall next to the other shuttles and smaller transports. The waiting man glanced over his shoulder and then quickly darted over to the shuttle, being careful to stay in the contorted shadows along the wall.
The shuttle let off bursts of steam as the cooling system went to work. Following a particularly large burst near the rear of the shuttle, a narrow ramp slowly descended and a door opened. The agitated figure walked
up to the ramp and waited until a silhouette of another man appeared at the top of the ramp.
“I have orders to relieve you of your command and confine you to your room,” the waiting man called up the ramp.
“We thought that might happen,” the other said, cautiously hanging back from the ramp. “I assume you are going to disregard those orders?”
“Does that mean we are still on with the plan?” the man asked and then looked back over his shoulder.
“You better believe we are still on!” the other said, still from within the protection of the shuttle. “If we don’t do something now, he’ll kill us all for sure.”
“Is Larep still with us?” the other asked nervously. “Because if they aren’t onboard with this, I’m off right here, right now.”
“Relax Neider,” the man replied as he cautiously began to descend the ramp. “I’ve taken care of everything. My source in Larep has assured me that once Fedrin is gone, I’ll have full command over the fleets.”
Commander Mick’s sneering face came into view as he stepped onto the hangar floor.
“Is everyone ready?” he asked as he noticed the apprehension and nervousness of his chief weapons officer.
“The command crew is set and we are ready to propagate your cover story to the rest of the crew as soon as you give the word.”
“And the target?” asked Mick, as the two began to walk toward the doorway.
“All set,” Neider answered. “The Iovara power relay grid is located between the two aft bulkheads on the port side. It’s fairly close to the surface. One well placed round should be able to knock it out with minimal casualties but maximum damage.”
“Excellent. You’ve done well Neider,” Mick said patting him on the back. “I think a Commandership may be in your near future.”
“I’m just doing my duty.”
“And so you are,” Mick said. “And in a couple of years from now, people are going to look back on this day and remember us as heroes!”
“Lets hope so,” Neider said, as the two men went through the doorway and into the main ship. “These sorts of things have a way of making heroes or villains out of men that only history can decide.”
“We’ll let the history books have the luxury of naming us what we are,” Mick said with confidence.
Neider nodded.
“Oh, when this is finished, make sure to send a team back to my shuttle,” Mick said, nodding behind himself.
Neider looked at Mick curiously. “What for?”
Mick smiled. “To untie the two guards that I knocked out and stuffed in the luggage hold.”
Neider shook his head.
Several minutes after they had left the hangar a faint orange glow illuminated from behind one of the other shuttles as Former Admiral Grider moved his hover chair forward. He shook his head sorrowfully and then made his way for the door as fast as his chair would go. There was precious little time to lose.
***
Fedrin was nearly to the bridge door when it happened. A tremendous explosion riveted his vessel, sending shock waves throughout the halls, blowing out capacitors and leaving many levels in total darkness. Screams of fear and panic filled the corridors as alarms sounded on every level compelling on and off duty personnel to race up and down the darkened halls toward their posts. Artificial gravity in several sections cycled on and off rapidly, tossing the crew about with violent affect.
Fedrin struggled to get to his feet, holding the wall fiercely to keep his barring. “What’s going on?” he shouted into his link as he felt along the riveted steel panels as he slowly made his way to the bridge.
“The Corinthia just opened fire on us!” Tarkin yelled back.
Surely Fedrin had heard wrong. “What did you say? Is this Tarkin? Where’s Kesler?”
“Kesler hit his head on the console,” Tarkin answered. “He’ll be fine in a minute.”
“What you’d say about the Corinthia?” Fedrin demanded.
“She fired a single shot through our upper deck armor and took out the primary power relay grid,” Jonas answered for Tarkin. “We can’t raise shields or arm weapons without it! The ship is having a seizure with the power systems. Gravity is cycling.”
“Casualties?” asked Fedrin as he approached the door.
“Not sure,” Tarkin answered. “Probably upwards of several dozen.”
“Life support systems?”
“Backups took over with no issue,” Jonas answered.
Fedrin reached the door to the bridge and typed in his password on the illuminated number pad. The bridge was in an uproar. Officers ran back and forth to different stations and everyone was shouting. Above the room on the main screen, the Corinthia faced the crippled Iovara dead on. Her primary weapon port was open revealing the bluish molten plasma waiting to be released. Without her shields, the Iovara couldn’t hope to survive a direct hit!
“What in the world is going on?” Fedrin demanded, still baffled by the situation.
“The Corinthia is hailing us,” Ensign Gallo calmly spoke up above the noise.
“Mick,” Fedrin said to himself as he walked to the front of the room. “On screen!”
The daunting view of the Corinthia was quickly replaced with Commander Mick’s scornful face. A look of distain filled his eyes as he spotted Fedrin.
“Mick! What is the meaning of this?” Fedrin demanded.
“Meaning of what Fedrin?” Mick replied coolly.
“You just fired on my ship moron! What do think?”
“Oh that,” Mick said nodding his head. “Well, that was just so you and your crew know that I mean business. Traitor!”
“Business? Traitor? What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Fedrin asked with arms outstretched in complete bewilderment.
“I’m talking about relieving you of your command and assuming the Chief Admiralty effective immediately,” stated Mick.
“You can’t lead this fleet!” Fedrin blurted out. “And even if you could, this is not the way to do it! What are you thinking?”
“On the contrary my dear Fedrin, this is the only way to do it,” Mick said smirking as if he had just made some grand move in a complex strategic game. “You and your brainwashed officers would have me killed in a second if I announced a bid for the position!”
“You’re mad!” Fedrin said shaking his head. “Completely mad!”
“Then, you’d agree that upsetting me is not the best course of action, wouldn’t you? After all, I’m sure you’ve noticed that there’s a charged plasma round currently locked onto your vessel. I don’t need to remind you that one shot will be enough to destroy your ship and every man and woman aboard.”
Fedrin turned and faced the back of the bridge in a daze. “Mick, we don’t have time for this,” Fedrin said in a near helpless tone as he turned to face the power hungry commander once more. “We need to get to Sibid before it’s too late. My wife has orders to sacrifice her ship so we can save the colony. It’s the only way we can save the Federation. Come Mick, you must understand this?”
Mick chuckled. “It is you, that doesn’t understand. We’re not going to Sibid, Fedrin. We’re not going to the Voigt colony to get some stupid device. Quite frankly, we’re just not obeying you anymore, about anything! Now in order to stay the deaths of your crew, I’m asking you to gather whatever honor you may have left and fly over to my ship where you’ll surrender all Admiralty Codes to myself and then be incarcerated until we return to Larep. Once there, you’ll stand trial for crimes against the Federation.”
Fedrin looked to his command crew and then back up at Mick utterly dumfounded, unable to reply to the outlandish demands.
“Attention Corinthia,” Commander Searle’s authoritative voice suddenly rang out on one of the Corinthia’s overhead speakers. “Disengage your aggression against the Iovara, immediately!”
“Searle!” Mick said in shock. “This is the man that killed your husband! Let me avenge him for you!”
“M
ick, you’re an idiot!” she replied promptly. “Disengage now!”
Mick tossed his hands in the air. “Target the Revenge too,” he ordered his gunner. “She must be in league with Fedrin also. Pity.”
“Corinthia, you have opened fire on the Iovara and have directed secondary batteries toward the Revenge. Please state the reasons for this action at once!” Commander Sanders voice sounded out next.
“Mick you numbskull!” Drezden’s angry voice rang out moments after. “Stop it now before you kill us all!”
Mick appeared frustrated but kept his cool as he nodded to his communications officer. “My fellow commanders, I have been commissioned by the War Council to remove Fedrin from his position. He is a murderer and a traitor to his people. In light of this, I am assuming command over the fleet. You would all do well to follow my leadership.”
Several moments of tense silence on all transmission lines followed Mick’s statement. Fedrin swallowed hard and waited, unsure of what to say. How does one reason with a madman?
The ever-impetuous Colby finally broke the silence. “That’s a negative. You have no authority to implement this action especially this way. Stand down or prepare to engage us along side the Iovara. Our gun ports are opening as I speak!”
“That goes for the rest of us,” Kendrick followed. “Stand down now and you might keep your life Mick. My fighters are prepping to launch and they will not hesitate to open fire on your ship if I give the command!”
Mick looked confused and angry. Why were the other commanders not rallying around him? “Neider, open fire on the Hornell!” Mick finally ordered. “Kill everyone! None of them deserve to live!”
“Obey that order and it will be your last!” a frail, yet commanding voice sounded out in the back of the Corinthia’s bridge.
“What?” exclaimed Mick as he turned around in shock to see Grider with a lydeg pistol held firmly in his hand.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t everyone’s favorite senile admiral come to pay his new boss a visit,” Mick said with a smirk.
Grider nudged his chair a little deeper into the room. “I’m not kidding around with you Mick,” he said firmly. “Order your crew to stand down.”