Wandering Engineer 6: Pirates Bane

by Chris Hechtl

  When the radio squawked he was already moving. However Mary and Rob were between him and the guard. “Now stay back now,” the guard warned, pulling his baton with his left hand. When Mary grimly nodded to Rob to spread out Clancy tucked the weapon under his arm and pulled his pistol.

  There was a struggle as Mary and Rob rushed the guard, followed by a frantic series of shots. The first two of the prisoners to rush the guard crumpled, shot in the struggle. Their deaths however were not in vane, their distraction allowed Ian to get in close enough to make a grab for the weapon. A second struggle ensued and a fourth, then fifth and sixth, shot rang out.

  <----*----*----*---->

  “Report!” The Captain demanded. “Damn you! Say something! Report!”

  The guard panted. “This is Corporal Clancy Serj sir, I'm still here sir. Not for a want of these assholes,” he growled.

  “And? The prisoners? Did they get away?”

  “No sir. Two of the prisoners are critically injured, one is dead, and the remaining three were lying on the floor either injured or cowed.” He kicked one.

  “Good. Lock them up or kill them, I don't care which,” the Captain said. “No wait, keep them alive, we may need them,” the Captain said.

  “Aye aye sir,” the guard replied, sounding disappointed. He wiped at his bleeding mouth and then spat on Mary. “You got lucky bitch,” he said as she groaned.

  <----*----*----*---->

  “Lieutenant Blye, Lieutenant Serall, report! Bridge! Someone answer me or heads will roll damn it! Anyone on this channel!” the Captain said, sounding desperate.

  “Should we jam his signal sir?” Sprite asked.

  “Not just yet, I want to know who he gets,” the Admiral replied.

  The Captain tried to raise the other compartments, and cursed when he couldn't get anyone.

  <----*----*----*---->

  Sindri heard the fight over the radio. Fortunately the guard had plugged it into a port on the wall to charge it and had left it there to escort Diego to the head. The dwarf realized the battle was on. He turned, and when they came out of the compartment he acted. He used his cuffed hands to first trip the guard, then step on his back and put his massive arms around his head. He lifted up, snapping the bastard's back before he knew what was happening.

  A quick savage twist snapped his neck for good measure.

  “Find the keys. We've got work to do,” Sindri growled.

  <----*----*----*---->

  Karen Hoshi didn't know how much she could trust this new guy, but he was obviously all right in her book. Anyone who got them this far was worth backing. She scowled as a firefight erupted behind her. Errant distracting thoughts of the newcomer were forgotten.

  <----*----*----*---->

  “The Captain is on the move. He's got one guard with him and a bot Admiral,” Sprite informed him a moment later. Irons looked up as the AI changed the feed from Hoshi's battle to the Captain.

  “He's headed to the bridge,” the Admiral murmured.

  “Most likely yes,” Sprite replied.

  Irons thought hard. The Captain was trying to pincer them, to hit them from two axis at the same time. He didn't stand a chance in hell of succeeding, but he didn't know that. And, the Admiral turned to his people, his people lacked many weapons. Most only had batons.

  Irons pointed to the last two people. “You two, the Captain is coming. You two are on rear guard. Secure the hatch,” he said, pointing to the hatch behind them.

  Grimly they nodded. One male grabbed the hatch and pulled it shut. A cable was in the way, blocking it from fully closing. Hastily the girl yanked it out of the wall and then stuffed it through the gap. When the hatch opening was cleared the hatch was shut. The girl looked at her baton and then wedged it into the locking mechanism, keeping it from spinning. “There,” she said with a grim smile. “It won't hold them long,” she warned.

  “Long enough,” the Admiral replied. “Lock down the lift,” Irons said, pointing to the lift doors.

  “Shit!” the girl said, staring at them. “What the hell do we...” she shook her head as she and her partner went over to the lift. “Find something to, I dunno, wedge in the doors or something. Pull the access panels; see if we can bind the gears up. Keep them bottled up inside,” she said.

  The Admiral made a mental note in appreciation of the woman's fast thinking and then turned. He had his own problem to deal with.

  Checking his implants, Admiral Irons sighed mentally. He was down on power. He turned to his people. Their impromptu medic shook his head, closing the eyes of the kid who had been hit with the disruptor. Irons set his jaw grimly. One of his people was brain dead and the other was unconscious.

  He returned his attention to the bridge. The five unarmed tech ratings were cowering behind their consoles and chairs. The watch officer was still behind the command chair, and had dragged a piece of equipment near to cover the bottom. Not that it would do him any good, with Admiral Irons' implants he could see right through it.

  “We can't!"

  "They are dead! Besides, the Captain ordered us to pull the power cables remember?” The watch officer whispered fiercely.

  John overheard the whispered conversation between the security tech and the watch officer grimly smiled. It was good to know that the guns on the bridge were dead. He wasn't sure about the bot though. Hopefully it was still down and that most of the ship was unresponsive.

  Getting an idea, Admiral Irons tapped his tablet and relayed a signal to Kinja. She acknowledged, and told him it will take at least five minutes to trace the control runs and complete the task he had given her.

  Smiling, Admiral Irons set his gun down and punched the console he was behind, tearing the panel off. Reaching in, he used the tools in his right arm to tap the control runs and jack in. He began shutting compartments in the path of the Captain and his guard, further delaying them.

  “John, we've got the armory. I've loaded my people up; we're on our way. ETA five, no make that six minutes,” Gustov reported over the implants.

  “Roger that,” the Admiral replied. He glanced at the map on his HUD and then the thumbnail view Sprite briefly put up. Gustov's team was in the pirate armor, armed with heavy weapons. “Sprite let the others know they are friendly.”

  “Tagging them with IFF and briefing the other teams aye aye sir,” Sprite said.

  Satisfied, Admiral Irons turned his attention to the watch officer. He noted that the officer was crouched near a processor node, and decided to spike it. “Proteus, this yahoo is by a node. Let's give him a hot foot,” the Admiral said.

  “With pleasure,” Sprite responded, briefly surprising him. He had expected Proteus to respond but apparently the engineering AI was busy. Sprite would do just fine; she was a practical joker after all. The AI tampered with the feed to the panel, ramping up the power to overload the electronics. Irons had just enough time to pick up his weapon before all hell broke loose.

  In a sudden explosion of sparks the overloaded electronics melted down, fragmenting and pinging off the inside of the panel. The watch officer’s adrenaline rush kicked in at the potential threat and he turned. He hadn't been on hand when the auto-gun had blown the console, but he'd heard about it and instinct took over, exposing himself briefly to the open hatch.

  Admiral Irons stood and aimed, feeling Defender cut in tactical overlays. The gun in his hand bucked as the round fired, passing though the back of the chair to the officer’s skull, splattering its contents all over the tech nearby.

  The Horathian female rating reared back in horror and Admiral Irons detached the jacks and stepped onto the bridge and over to the body. He turned and shot up the robot in the alcove and then shot through the flimsy chair the security goon was hiding behind. The man slumped immediately. A pool of blood began to form around his body.

  Keeping the rating covered the Admiral picked up the gun, then turned to the cowering techs. “Up,” he ordered, motioning with the gun. “Against the back wall.
No funny stuff. You know everyone here isn't happy with you,” he said. He scanned each of them and then had them line up along the rear bulkhead on their knees with their hands on their heads. The female Horathian shook like a leaf. Apparently she expected the same treatment her own people had given the prisoners.

  The Admiral turned and handed one of the weapons to his people. “Get this to the rear guard. The other one too,” he said, motioning to former prisoner who had kicked the weapon away from the dead guard and then scooped it up. The man nodded and scooted out the hatch.

  “You,” the Admiral said, pointing to another of his people. “Take this, cover them,” he ordered, handing his own weapon over. The rating looked at it and then grimly nodded. “Don't kill them unless they move. We may want to... discuss things with them later,” Irons said.

  The rating nodded grimly. He settled in, covering the now cowering Horathians.

  “I didn't sign on for this!” one whispered fiercely.

  “Shut up!” another whispered back.

  The Admiral nodded, eyes cold but approving. He turned and opened a channel. “This is John, we have secured the bridge,” he said simply. He knew he wouldn't get any feedback through the channel. “Kinja?”

  “We're ready John,” Kinja reported. “On your command.”

  “Proceed then,” he ordered her to proceed, smiling tightly. Power was cut to the contested compartments, dropping them into darkness. Life support shut down, as did the artificial gravity. The Horathians were now trapped in the dark, floating in shock, with their life support cut off.

  “What the hell is going on? Bridge answer me!” The Captain bellowed over the communications link and Admiral Irons smiled evilly.

  He tapped the line, and then shrugged. He jacked in to the command station and opened a channel on all frequencies. “This is John, Captain of the Phoenix. Bounty has fallen.”

  “What the hell?” The Captain demanded.

  “I repeat, we your former prisoners,” Irons smiled to some of his team who smiled back. One clutched at his baton grimly. “We are now in control of your ship. It is ours now. Resistance is futile.” He winced at the cliché saying. “Throw down your weapons and you will not be harmed,” he calmly told the Horathian Captain and others listening. That evoked a torrent of swearing and cursing from the Captain and a soft whimper from the guard with Ian.

  Chuckling Irons switched to the guard watching McGuyver’s team. “I... I've got hostages here! Turn the ship back over to the Captain or I'll kill them!” he said, blustering.

  “Voice analysis states he will do it Admiral. But he's pretty shaken,” Sprite reported.

  “And we have a policy for negotiating with terrorists and hostage takers,” Irons replied grimly.

  “Kill us all John!” Ian said over the open radio. “Don't let the bastard use us!”

  “Shut up!” the hysterical guard said, turning on Ian.

  “Do it! You've gone this far!” Ian said.

  “They understand,” Sprite said softly.

  “Let's hope it doesn't come to that,” the Admiral said as the guard took out his fear on Ian in a series of kicks and blows. Ian went into a fetal position, protecting himself the best he could.

  “He's terrified. You can tell by his response.”

  “Cut him off from the Captain. He only talks with us Commander,” Irons replied grimly.

  “Unfortunately I can't do that. We can't jam them from this distance, there are too many compartments in between and their handcoms are outside the ship's communications links,” Sprite reported.

  “Darn,” Irons said mildly. “Here is the situation son. You are alone, the only Horathian in a compartment with wounded hostages. We've taken the ship. You've got about the same chance as a snowball on Mercury of retaking this ship. If the hostages die, you die. Keep beating them and well, I just might do what Captain McGuyver requested.”

  “You wouldn't dare!” the voice replied.

  “I might if there is no hope of getting them out alive. Your survival and future is tied to theirs.”

  “You're... you're bluffing! I don't believe it! It's a trick! Yeah, that's what it is!” the guy said, going through the various stages of denial.

  The Admiral let him work through it, turning to check his people. Two of his team had taken it on themselves to man the OPS and tactical station. He nodded to each in appreciation.

  “Hope they know what they are doing,” Sprite said. The Admiral shrugged. Right now he had more important things on his mind. “I'll um, just make sure they don't hit the wrong button or something,” the AI said. The Admiral nodded in approval. “Yeah, I'll just go do that little thing,” the AI sing songed.

  “You done yet?” Admiral Irons asked when the guard finally wound down. “Finished?”

  “I can be,” the guard growled back.

  “Okay, look, here is the deal. Even if you killed them all you will die in that compartment in less than a day. With them it's a quarter of that, wounded people use up more oxygen, all that gasping,” the Admiral reminded him.

  He heard the man swear.

  “If even one dies, that's it. I'll tell the crew to pull the plug. You were smart to block off the air vents, but that's not going to save you and you know it by now. So, the question is,” His voice dropped a bit. “Where do we go from here,” he said.

  A whimper sound from the guard was his only reply.

  Irons smiled. “Got him?” Sprite asked hopefully.

  The Admiral shrugged. “Time to set the hook,” he murmured. He cleared his throat.

  “I tell you what. I'm an officer. You have my word that I will spare your life like any others who surrendered as long as no one else is hurt.”

  “How? How can I trust you??” The terrified guard asked.

  “Unlike the others, I haven't been subjected to your people's hospitality for long. And besides, I said I am an officer. I will give you my word. My word is law son. You best obey it.”

  “That's...” the Horathian stopped when he heard a noise outside the hatch.

  Sisko and his team arrived at his hatch. He rapped on the hatch in the ancient 'shave and a haircut, two bits' antic.

  “Finally!” the guard said. “Someone tell me this is a joke! A sick fracking Joke! Shifty that you?”

  “No it's the tooth fairy asshole. I'm here to collect,” Sisko replied grimly.

  “Oh frack,” the guard whimpered, backing away from the hatch. “Don't come in here! Don't you come in here or... or I'll shoot them!” he said, voice rising.

  “I'm all right if anyone cares,” Sindri said over the radio.

  “Shut up Sindri, we knew you were alive and free,” Gustov said. “We've got a few situations to take care of. Hold tight. I've got someone headed your way.”

  “No problem,” the dwarf said. “But I'd appreciate you hurry up, this guy just voided and it's stinking up the compartment. Some fresh air would be nice right about now.”

  “Working on it,” Kinja replied absently.

  “Thanks lass. You are a life saver,” the dwarf said warmly.

  “Ah, your just saying that,” Kinja drawled.

  “Only because he's stuck in a compartment and you control the power,” Gustov replied with a laugh. “By the way, has anyone looked at the map lately?”

  “I have,” Irons replied, noting Gustov was near the Captain. He was just outside the hatch, setting up to rush him if needed.

  “Who the hell do you think you are? Like we're going to believe that or anything you say! This is mutiny!” Captain Hathaway snarled. “You'll never get away with this!”

  “I want to hear what he has to say,” the guard said, voice sounding shaky.

  “Shut up!” the Captain raged. “He'll never let us live! Fight! Fight on!”

  “My name is John Henry Irons. As Fleet Admiral of the Federation I hereby give you my word as an officer of the Federation Navy that I will spare your life so long as you surrender with no further harm to the prisone
rs.” Admiral Irons told him, straightening to attention. His hand unjacked from the bridge station.

  Echoing stunned silence hit both the bridge and the ship for several long seconds. The wounded rating was astounded, staring at Admiral Irons with awe. Even the luckless Horathian prisoners turned to stare at him.

  “This is Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons of the Federation to all surviving Horathian Pirates. Surrender and your lives will be spared. To this ship and her new crew, as senior officer present I hereby take command of this ship in the name of the Federation. Carry on,” Admiral Irons said.

  He morphed his hand again to jack into the bridge controls. “Kinja, you still there?”

  “Uh, yeah, where else would I go?” she asked, clearly off balance mentally.

  “Restore the gravity and life support to the compartment where the prisoners are. As a show of good faith,” he ordered.

  “Yes sir,” Kinja quietly said. He could hear some of her team murmuring in the background of her channel but tuned it out he had to focus.

  The guard stuttered in shock and disbelief, further done in by that unveiling.

  “I'm judging he's over the edge. From the sound of it, he's heard of you. Fifty fifty on which way he'll jump though Admiral. He's been through a lot mentally in the past few minutes,” Sprite said.

  The Admiral nodded grimly.

  “You're bluffing! It's not possible!” Captain Hathaway swore.

  “You and I both know it's true. You found my uniform in the laundry,” Irons replied grimly.

  “Shit!” the Captain swore again.

  “So, you mean it's true! He really is an Admiral?” the guard asked. “He is?”

  “Shut up! Clancy, shoot a prisoner! Do it now!” The Captain snarled.

  “Clancy, you don't want to do that,” Irons replied. He's no longer in command, I am.”

  “Well Irons, you either surrender to Horathian justice or he will!” the Captain said. Desperately the Horathian demanded that the guard kill one of the prisoners to force Admiral Irons to surrender.