***
We were back on Trash Island in a valley between stinking mountains of waste about fifty kilometres away from the Skaakh village and I stood next to Har-Hi and Nestor Faller as we watched the Stik drag Duke Donheer, the once powerful patriarch of the Donheer family syndicate to a crater like hole. He no longer insulted the Stik and I heard him say. “Can we not come to an agreement? I can have food flown out to you every day and I even get you all the feathers you want.”
An old Stik standing there said. “You have killed thousands of us. You and your kind came to our world, taking away everything, and dirtied the Waters and lands. Your kind brought horrors to our world we had never seen or known. You will die now devoured by one of your gifts to our world.”
He was pushed and fell into the pit and Donheer screamed at the top of his lungs as tentacles exploded out of the bottom of the hole. The Stik did not look away as he screamed while the monstrous life form tore him to pieces.
***
After we had witnessed the end of Duke Donheer and had returned to the ship, I had one more grave and sad duty to perform.
I tugged at my completely black uniform jacket after I stepped out of the Auto Dresser. This uniform had no patches, no ribbons and did not have the white lining, only three golden rings around the cuffs of my sleeve. I did not look forward to what I had to do, but he was one of our own and it was a good and old tradition to take care of our own. The good and the bad. It was my duty alone and it would be on my consciousness alone. I straightened my posture and walked into the empty Hangar bay.
The entire crew except those who had to keep the most essential duty posts were assembled.
At my sign, two Marines brought in Wintsun. He had been dressed in a Midshipman uniform but all rank insignia had been removed.
He looked around and then he recognized Krabbel and I was sure he now realized that the Saturnian without his flashy helmet and arena armour was Hans. His green face paled as he saw Narth. Then his eyes found me and he spat on the floor. “I have nothing to do with your fleet anymore. I quit and I am going my own way. This is Freespace and your jurisdiction ended 1300 light years from here.”
I said. “Wintsun can you explain to me why you have changed so much, Limbur, Galmy , Olia, Narth and I were your friends. What made you go this way?”
He squinted his eyes. “I don’t remember ever seeing you before. Who are you?”
I answered him. “You knew me as Eric Olafson and we were friends.”
He looked me up and down and said. “I thought we sent you to the Kermac? What’s with the chick outfit? Did the Kermac turn your mind or something?”
I sighed. “The plan of Dent and his cronies did not pan out as they thought it would. They have all paid for their crimes and for their treason. I have your Mind Dump file and could check it, but I want to hear it from you.”
He shrugged. “I never liked that creepy Narth, you and him becoming buddies and all that, but it started on Perryton during our first leave right in the Data Head Shop. That arrogant chick Galmy showing us all how rich she was and making me feel small by paying for my data head equipment. Then a guy approached me and asked if I would be interested to become rich on my own by doing a few favors for the Worm. In turn he promised me a prestigious spot at the Newport Academy, fast promotion and lots of credits. Looking back at it, it might have been a bad decision, but it was fun for the most part.”
I didn’t really know what to say to that but I did say.“Galmy did that, not to put you down, but to show you her friendship.”
He rolled his eyes. “I spit on you all’s friendship. I wanted Olia but no, she only had only eyes for that brute Limbur and he was supposed to be my best friend. I spit on them and I spit on you,”
Then he made a disgusted face and said while looking at me. “I guess you posed as Black Velvet and that means I almost raped my own academy buddy, and a transvestite at that, what a hoot.”
I straightened my stance and said: “And now you will pay for all your deeds according to our laws and traditions.”
Wintsun shrugged. “So what? I know my rights, we are in Freespace. You have no jurisdiction to arrest me here or even be here with a warship and be in uniforms on Union business.”
I noticed the steel edge in my voice as I said. “You are a deserter. You have been found guilty in absence of treason and murder by a Military Court. You escaped Newport stealing a military transport, murdering two officers and four enlisted and selling Union Military Technology. In your short criminal career you really out did some who do that their entire life.”
I held up his memory chip. “I know it was you who whipped me at the post. I promised you then justice will prevail and now it has.”
He laughed. “Yes it was me and I enjoyed it. It took me a little but you cried and squealed like the pig you are at the end!”
I took my gloves from my belt and put them on. “Everything that needs to be said has been said and you show no remorse and therefore I deny you the mercy I could give.”
With a gesture I signalled the crew and everyone put on their hoods and I said. “No hand shall be soiled by the task of exterminating you from our society and no face will show sorrow for you. By the laws and traditions set forth in this our United Stars of the Galaxies Navy, you are a traitor to your society and it has been judged that you shall hang by the neck until you are dead.”
Wintsun stopped laughing as the Marines started the drum roll and he was dragged to the raised platform that was actually a Landing tank elevator. I followed and said to the Marine Sergeant, echoing Stahl’s words: “You may stand back, Sarge. I must do my own dirty work.”
“Aye Captain!”
Wintsun now saw the noose hanging down and his facial expression changed. His hateful expression left and now he looked just like I saw him the very first time. “Please, don’t do it. You always knew a solution to a problem. Can we not talk about it?”
I answered. “I would have tried to find another way but not now, since I know it was you who shot Narth. I gave you a chance to show remorse moments ago. The time to talk has passed. You are now paying for your crimes according to our laws.”
He struggled but the Marines manhandled him without problems and I said. “Do you want a blindfold?”
He nodded with tearful eyes and I placed a black hood over his head and then the rope. His breath was moving the fabric of the hood. I knew this image would follow me for the rest of my life. “May whatever God you worship have mercy on you.”
I stepped of the elevator platform and pressed the control that lowered it away from his feet. He kicked a few times and then hung still.
Chapter 15: The Gray Nul
I could not even think about sleep after that, so I went to the pool and took a long swim. The clear cold water, as always did wonders to my state of mind. While I was submerged I wondered if there was something like an immortal soul and if that was so, did I add to my eternal damnation by executing Wintsun?
I was about to close my eyes a little and simply drift when Ships voice reached me: “Captain, you are needed.”
So I surfaced and Har-Hi stood by the pool holding a towel. He said: “There is a situation outside the ship; I thought you’d want to know about it.”
I dried myself and said: “Ship give me a field screen.”
My Dai friend explained while the view screen established itself before me: “There is a grey Nul outside our force field and it looks like he is badly wounded. As you can see there is a gang of other beings hunting him.”
I saw the Nul, his left arm hung from his body and he was oozing yellowish blood from several wounds. He threw rocks and pieces of Duro Crete towards a horde of twenty beings mocking him and taking pot shots.
I jumped into the Auto Dresser and dialed for my Pirate Outfit.
Seconds later Har-Hi was running beside me to the next IST and said: “He is a Nul, Captain. They are our enemies. They have never shown any mercy. Remember Lt. Voglgard?
I thought you wanted to see him die.”
I turned my head as we stepped into the IST. “Yes I remember the two Wolfcraft pilots and I know Voglgard was killed while he was in space. I was there, but that does not mean we have to be the same way. Let’s see what he wants. He did come here for a reason.”
The IST shaft extended to the ground and released us below my ship. I ran towards the force field border where the Nul stood.
Below my ship and without a slide belt or other transportation I realized how big the Tigershark was. So I increased my running speed, of course Har-Hi had no problem keeping up and he said with grin on his face to me: “Besides it is an unfair situation the Nul is in and that’s why you fought for him at the arena as well.”
He could not see my grin as I said: “I guess I am predictable after all.”
Har-Hi responded saying: “You are one of the biggest mysteries I came across in my life, but yes in certain situations I think I know what motivates you.”
We had almost reached the edge but there was time for me to say: “That is a strange thing to say. I thought we were getting to know each other pretty good by now.”
He chuckled and said: “For one I can’t figure out how you manage to run in heels like that, I would break my neck and I know you didn’t have a lifetime of practice like Shea. However there is this whole female part of you. I knew you as Eric and we served many months together and now you are a woman. You are still my best friend and I accept you like that just as I have before, but I don’t understand it.”
I slowed down as we were almost there and said: “I don’t think about the heels, I almost tripped as you mentioned them and for the other part, I can’t even answer that to myself.”
I stopped just behind the Nul; all that separated us was the insubstantial, barely visible barrier of the shields. “Ship can you make the shields transparent for sound where I am?”
She responded right away saying: “Yes Captain, you can talk to the Nul now.”
Before I could say something to the huge alien, a blaster shot hammered into the shield right before me, perhaps even aimed at me but only a few centimeters away from the Nul, his grey skin discoloring from the intense heat to a scarred black.
I said into the same audio pick up I had addressed Ship and said: “Tactical, fire a warning shot before those goons and I don’t mind if you singe a few of these cowards.”
Mao responded with a crisp Aye and an eye blink later, an arm thick bright white beam of energy pulsed from somewhere above us and converted a long trench of liquefied Concrete and trash into white hot glowing magma. Whoever was left of scrambled to find cover.
Having the pause I needed, I addressed the Nul: “What do you want here?”
He looked horrible, not because he was a Nul, but because he was injured all over his body and was barely able to stand. He said with a voice that was inhumanly deep but sounded weak. “I know you are Human and we are enemies…” The Nul stumbled and it appeared he kept on his feet by sheer will power.
“I have no place to go; the entire planet’s population appears to hunt me because I am Nul. You are an enemy but you are a warrior born as I have seen you fight and heard what you said to the Pertharians. I do not want to die by the hands of rabble and scum, so I am here to challenge you to a fight. I will die by the hands of an enemy that has honor.”
His pillar like legs buckled, and he groaned as he pushed himself back up.
I said: “Ship, Med Bots to my position, stat. Also, alert two Marines in full Battle Armour and make me a structural gap where I am.”
Har Hi drew a sword and a blaster at the same time as Ship responded to my orders.I stepped through the hole in our shield and said to the Nul: I accept your challenge but there is no honor to fight you in this condition. My Med Staff is on the way and we will treat you.”
He groaned something I did not understand and then collapsed. The Med Bots arrived along with the Marines and to them I said: “Bots take the Nul to Sick Bay and you Marines do not let him out of your sight. If he shows any hostile intentions, constrain or terminate him.”
The Nul was not the only visitor that night; the two Pertharians arrived at our shield base minutes later. They too were wounded, but not seriously as far as I could tell. One of them said to me through the shield: “We are here, Pirate woman, you said to us to come here if we want to see the Union again. We are Union Citizens and do not want to be taken as slaves again, but even Pertharians have little options on this cursed world.”
I responded: “On my word I will not enslave you and I meant what I said in the arena.”
Narth spoke into my mind: “Those are first year academy cadets, very young and despite being Pertharians, quite frightened.”
With this information I had ship open the shield and I said to them. “Cadets, get in here on the double!”
They responded before they even realized what they were doing. One of them said: “How do you know we are Cadets?”
Only after Ship had the shields opaque to sound I said. “I am Captain Olafson and this is the USS Tigershark. I don’t know how soon we can get you home and back to the academy, but for now you are safe.This is a Union ship and we are Union officers.”
They both saluted and snapped into attention and one snarled: “Officer on deck.”
I sighed with a smile on my lips. “Don’t do the saluting out here, let’s get you inside.”
As they stepped out of the IST and into the main corridor of Deck 5 they saw two Marines waiting for them, one being a Pertharian, too.
The slightly bigger one said: “The center be praised, this is a Union ship! Captain, Ma’am, I am Cadet Clubb and that is Cadet Dorth and we were abducted on Planet Perryton just as we waited to go home for our first R&R . Dorth and I followed a phony Master Chief who promised us a good time in an Orglatron. Instead we were paralyzed and sold here to the Arena.”
I said: “Sergeant Lemrr here will take you to sick bay where our MD will check you out. Then you will report to Lt. Neugruber and give him a detailed report and a description so we can send CID to Perryton.”
Even though both of them were inhuman Pertharians, I could almost physically feel their relief as they followed the Marines. Remembering my adventure on this cursed planet I knew how they felt.
I ended the day with a late dinner at the Den and then I did find some sleep after all.
***
When I woke I realized I had missed the Forenoon watch and said to SHIP as I got up: “SHIP, why didn’t you wake me at 0730 hours?”
She responded: “You gave no specific orders to be woken, Captain and the XO said to let you sleep if you didn’t give specific orders.”
With a mild accusatory tone in my voice I said to her: “You shaded the viewports and dimmed the lights all on your own, so I would not wake on my own and you knew I scheduled myself for Forenoon watch. One of these days, you mother me before the crew.”
She actually managed to make her voice sound a little offended: “Captain, your wellbeing is important to the crew and mission and sleep is important to humans. You know I follow any order you give and would never be disrespectful.”
I dressed myself instead of using the Auto dresser, since I wore the same outfit day in and day out. I did liked to select what I was wearing underneath and while I knew it was a mild form of narcissism, I liked the way lace looked on this body. I said to SHIP. “I know you were motivated by good intentions and I appreciate that.”
She sounded happy. “Thank you Captain, besides nothing happened that needed your attention while you slept.”
I finished brushing my hair and went on the bridge. Har Hi got up from the Conn, wished me a good morning and then pointed to the main viewer. “More Pirate ships have arrived. The Red Dragon has just arrived in the system and should make planet fall within the next hours.”
Narth turned from his console and said: “I’ve got the Red Dragon on our sensors, Captain. The ship’s original signature has changed
from the four ISAH pod configuration we had on file. It now has only two ISAH pods and two Karthanian engine blocks. It appears he could not replace the one you destroyed with the genuine kind.”
I acknowledged the reports and sat down on my seat. The Golden was sitting next to Elfi at Communications and he said. “The city is even more chaotic than usual, as the three remaining Cartel families now fight with each other over the void that the sudden decline of the Donheer Cartel has created.”
Shea also had a report and said: “Our Nul guest is out of surgery and Cateria hopes she did enough to help him.”
Hans stomped down from his security station at the back of the bridge and said to me: “I send the statement of the two Pertharian kids to CID and they are investigating. Results are pending and via Cherubim on Richter we informed the Academy and the family of the Pertharian brothers that they are alive and safe without revealing where they are. General Cherubim said she will take care of a cover story.”
Yeoman O’Connell handed me the morning report and daily order sheet to sign and handed me my coffee with her usual shy smile. I looked around my bridge and said: “You all have been busy so it seems while a certain Computronic I know let me sleep in.”
Har Hi grinned broadly. “To her defense, Captain, she did ask me and I agreed with her decision to let you sleep in.”
SHIP chimed in. “See Captain it wasn’t just me.”
I also smiled and said: “A fine crew I got, ganging up on me and making me look lazy.”
Har Hi said. “Well it’s not every day we share the bridge with a genuine GalNet celebrity. You made quite a splash, Captain and recordings of your fight went viral. It’s virtually on every blog, news channel and in hundreds of talk shows.”
Krabbel said: “Circuit and I ordered the Black Velvet Action figure with Axe chopping action complete with animated Stomper; will you autograph mine when we get our mail on Richter?”
With a sour face I said: “Splendid indeed, how am I going to explain that to the Admiral when I deliver my next report and who would have an action figure so fast after the fight?”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 118