by Chris Hechtl
He shrugged. “Please ma'am, just humor me,” he said.
The Captain sobered, looking into his eyes. He was serious. “Very well. She hit the key on her desk that connected her to the bridge. “Bridge, scan the ships.”
“Aye ma'am.”
She ran a scan of Bounty. The ship had been changed she realized. She checked the visual and frowned pensively. The ship had indeed changed; some of her had obviously been rebuilt. She had served on Bounty briefly as an Ensign; she knew the tin can like the back of her hand. Things didn't add up. There was no way she could make milspec equipment with a replicator, the lockouts prevented it. No, something was wrong, she though as the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
“Call the corvettes,” she said, looking up. “Let them know something's up and standoff,” she ordered. Until she figured out what was going on they should stay away from the ship. She looked at the plot and swore. It was already too late for Romeo, she was already docked. Juliet however was three hundred meters out and closing.
<----*----*----*---->
“Admiral! I'm intercepting a signal from the collier to the corvettes! They made us!” Bounty warned.
“Corvette two is maneuvering. Her weapons are charging!” Lieutenant Nobeki warned.
“Helm! Ninety-degree roll Z-axis hard! Execute!” Irons barked. “Guns suppression fire now!”
Corvette 2 received the warning too late. Her Captain wrestled with the hysterical insanity the collier was spouting for a minute before he barked an order to back off. It couldn't be true! He thought, someone was wrong! But just to be safe he ordered the ship to abort the docking and raise her weapons.
RCS flared wildly to arrest her approach to the ship. Bounty was shaped like a Terran angelfish, with most of her hull in a rectangular box that was taller than broad. The corvette fired into Bounty as the ship rolled to present her keel, her smallest face. The little ship fired at under a hundred meters, which was point blank range, but only with a two-centimeter rail gun. Most of the shots missed. Those that did hit penetrated her stern armor and reeked carnage.
Bounty retaliated with her point defense lasers. The lasers were primarily designed to take down incoming missiles, but they easily tore through the thin armor on the corvette as if it wasn't there. The small corvette had just gotten her main drive back online and bucked as the fire came in, tearing through her still energizing force field to tear into her hull. She vomited debris and atmosphere and then drifted. The corvette was torn apart, left adrift in pieces.
“Damage report?” the Admiral asked. He'd felt the bucks as the ship took hits.
“Midships keel damage going several decks deep. The breaches aren't big however. We've got reports of injured there Admiral. Implant signatures report one severe casualty,” Bounty said quietly. “Medics and damage control are en-route but they have to cut their way in.”
The bridge crew looked up in alarm. The Admiral scowled.
“Bounty's keel near the midships has been damaged. We have thirteen-wounded Admiral. Keel compartments two decks deep have been reported breached. Fortunately it didn't breach the boat bay.”
“Good,” the Admiral replied.
<----*----*----*---->
“What happened?” Yuri asked and then coughed. He looked over to Yosef. Yosef was out cold and pinned beneath a pile of crates.
“Something did. I don't know. Did someone shoot at us?” Paul asked, holding a hand to his head. He looked around. “Why do I hear a sucking sound?” he asked, trying to wipe blood out of his eyes. They stung badly. It bothered him, but the sound bothered him more. “Are we breached? Should we get out of here?” he asked, voice rising.
“Calm down,” Yuri said and then coughed again. He raised his fist as he couldn't stop coughing and saw blood in the weak light. “Damn, looks like I bit my tongue,” he said. As he moved he felt pain. “Or something else,” he said, gingerly touching his right ribcage. That set off a wave of pain and another bout of coughing.
“What the hell, did you catch a cold?” Paul asked, sounding off. Yuri got his breath and looked at the other man. He'd gotten enough blood off his face so he could make him out. He was a mess.
“Head wounds bleed profusely. Keep it covered. Shouldn't the implants kick in?”
“That'd be nice right about now,” Paul replied, still holding his hand to his head as he searched around with his other hand. He found Yosef and checked for a pulse.
“He's alive but out,” he reported, and then moved on.
“Can you get a signal out?” Yuri asked. He tried but failed. The ship had poor signal reception in the cargo bay, something about all the walls and metal, and the nearest node being out in the companionway ten meters away from the hatch door.
“No,” Paul said frowning. He tilted his head back and then winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “Damn, going to feel that in the morning,” he said.
“Pain?” Yuri asked. He could tell he had broken ribs. “We need to get out of here and get to sickbay,” he said.
“Pain yes. Not bad. Yeah, we do. We need to get him out too though,” Paul said. The Chief had sent them down to the cargo bay for parts to rebuild environmental on deck nine. He frowned, looking around. The compartment was trashed.
“Where the hell...” Yuri looked around. “Now I'm hearing it,” he said. He watched Paul feel around a crate near the wall. It was tilted at an angle. “Got someone here!” he said, voice picking up in anxiety.
“Coming,” Yuri said, and gingerly moved over. “Who?”
“It's Buck Allen. He's hurt man, hurt bad. The crate's got him pinned against the bulkhead. There...” Paul felt around but then snatched his hands back. “Damn, it's a breach!” he said. “Don't move it!”
“We've got to!” Yuri said. He pushed but then had to stop, gasping and coughing. The thing must have weighed close to a ton, maybe more.
“Don't,” a voice croaked out. Paul knelt and looked under to see Bucky's eyes looking out at him. The man waved a hand weakly. “Don't he said.
“Hang on partner, we'll get you out,” he said. He looked up. “Help! We're in here!” he yelled.
Yuri winced.
“Yuri, get to the hatch. Get a medic in here now,” Paul ordered. “Get Yosef out if you can,” he said.
“I don't know if we should move him,” Yuri said. He grunted and headed for the hatch.
“It'll be okay Bucky, we've got a great doc now, he'll fix you up. Marty's damn good with that tech the Admiral gave him. He'll fix you up... better than new,” he said.
“I'm done,” Bucky, gasped a ragged breath. “I know it. You know it,” he said. Paul felt something warm and liquid touching his knee. He looked down to see a spreading pool of blood. He looked inside to see Bucky holding his abdomen. Something had speared him from behind, through the deck and bulkhead, right into the man, tearing him open. He was bleeding out before Paul's eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He couldn't even get to the man to save him!
“Damn it!” he raged.
“Don't,” Bucky gasped. “Keep fighting. Don't stop,” he said, tears forming.
“We'll do it together buddy, just hang in there,” Paul said. He looked up to see Yuri tugging on the hatch door.
“It's warped!” he coughed, and then sank to sit next to the door. He rapped on it with the flat of his hand. After a long moment there was an answering rap. “Someone's there!” he said. “Hey! We're in here! We're in here! Four of us! And we're wounded!” he called out, roaring hoarsely. “Get your Asses in here!” he yelled.
“Don't... don't stop fighting,” Bucky said. Yuri turned to Bucky.
“Don't...”
Yosef groaned. He slowly moved, then jerked. He rubbed his head. “Damn, what a hangover,” he said. He opened his eyes. “We're not in a bar are we?” he asked.
Yuri grunted.
“Don't... stop. Keep fighting,” Bucky gasped out. “For me. For the kids. For those who can't. Someone.... someone has to
stop... stop them,” he gasped out.
Yuri forced himself to his feet and looked around, looking for a first aid kit or a communications panel. There was a fire extinguisher but no kit. He swore. He turned back to see Paul frantically looking around as well, then stop. Bucky's hand flopped out from under the crate and then lied there, limp face up.
“Come on man, keep... keep with us. We'll get you out,” Paul said, voice foggy with tears.
Yosef looked behind him and saw the limp hand. Paul clutched at it and took a pulse. “Damn it! Don't you die on me!” he said.
“He's in god's hands now,” Yosef said softly. He turned to look at Yuri. Yuri slowly sank back to the deck, face tearing up. He angrily rapped on the wall, pounding it until he stopped, gasping for breath.
<----*----*----*---->
“Helm, move us away from the wreck,” Irons said.
“Sir? What about any survivors?” Nobeki asked.
“Sensors scan for life. I'm more concerned about their weapons,” he said. “I doubt anyone had time to get into a suit before that exchange,” he said.
The OPS officer looked up and shook his head. “We're getting heat buildup in her missile cells Admiral. I'm not certain what's going on,” Enric replied.
“I do, something shorted,” the Admiral said.
“We're moving away at ten KPS Admiral, but with the corvette attached...”
Irons nodded grimly. “Did we take some damage there in the roll?”
“Yes Admiral, I was going to report that. The docking clamps were warped. The ships are locked together. It may take a few minutes to get it released so we can maneuver properly.”
“Guns get the shields up,” the Admiral said.
“Shields already coming up Admiral,” Nobeki reported. “Two minutes to full charge.”
“Understood,” Irons said.
The little corvette's munitions detonated and she was torn apart. Bounty's shields were just coming back up and they shrugged off most of the incoming debris cloud.
“Admiral, the collier's engines are warming up. She's trying to make a run for it,” Bounty reported. “Also, one death has been reported. Mister Allen has succumbed to his injuries,” he said.
“Damn.”
“Twelve other injuries reported.”
The Admiral nodded. “Communications raise the collier. Warn them to shut down their drive and prepare to be boarded.”
Bounty frowned. “No response Admiral,” he said after a moment.
“Oh, we'll get one,” the Admiral replied, turning to the tactical station. “Miss Nobeki, give her a warning shot across her bow.”
Nobeki's face was frozen. She bit her lip.
“Miss Nobeki,” Irons said. She flinched.
“Sir?”
“Warning shot,” he said again.
“Aye sir,” she said, using her implants. “Firing port rail gun. Clean miss, twenty meters from her bow,” she said.
“Open a channel,” the Admiral said turning to Bounty. He let Nobeki recover the remainder of her composure. Death in a crew hit everyone differently. Some took it hard. And in this tightly knit crew, hard indeed.
“Channel open,” Bounty said.
“This is Fleet Admiral Irons. This ship is under my command. As you just noticed, you are in our weapons envelope. Stand down your drive and prepare to be boarded. Any resistance and you will be fired upon. If you attempt to maneuver I will order your ship turned into a colander. Stand down now,” he growled. “No one else needs to be hurt.”
One minute passed, then two, then three. Finally the blue glow from her engines faded. “Admiral, the collier's engines are standing down,” Enric said.
“We're receiving a signal,” Bounty said. His image flickered to be replaced by a sullen looking woman.
“You've got us,” she said bitterly. “We surrender.”
“You sound so happy,” Enric growled. “Tough.”
Apparently the bridge microphone picked up his comments. The woman's eyes flashed. The Admiral shot Enric a quelling look.
“Marines will be boarding your ship shortly. Do not offer them any resistance Captain; I think you know the drill. You've had plenty of experience with it from the other side after all,” the Admiral said, jaw tightening.
“Open a data channel and keep it open. I want my people to keep an eye on your systems. No funny business Captain, we both know where that will lead wont we?” he asked.
The woman flinched and then nodded. Irons studied her for any tricks but didn't see anything; her defiance was gone, replaced with an urge to survive. “You won't get away with this,” the woman said.
“We'll see. And I bet you've heard that line often enough yourself. A bit ironic being the one that's saying it now huh?” the Admiral asked coldly. Again the woman flinched.
“Do you expect me to beg for my life? For the lives of my crew?”
“No, I expect you to do as you are told and no one will get hurt. The first sign of resistance and things will get ugly. And if any of your prisoners are harmed... I have no problem drawing up a court to handle such things Captain. And hold those responsible for their actions,” the Admiral said, voice frigid. “And, since my crew is made up of former slaves, I'm pretty certain we both know what the verdict would be,” he said.
She bit her lip and looked down. He could see her shaking ever so slightly. “We will be seeing you shortly Captain,” he said as he cut the channel.
“Data channel open Admiral,” Bounty reported. “I am in their system. They are attempting to purge their memory files,” the ship AI reported.
“I'm on it,” Sprite said, surging through the Admiral's link to the ship and into the cyber fray. “I'm putting a read only block on all files and recovering the destroyed files. They think that by hitting delete it destroys a file,” Sprite said a moment later. She sounded amused. “All it did was delete the directory to the file and listed the space as empty and writable. I'm recovering petabytes of data now.”
“Good,” the Admiral replied with a nod.
“And I've made it so they think they are still deleting the files,” Sprite said. The Admiral opened his mouth in confusion. “I want to see what they find so important to delete,” Sprite continued.
Irons nodded. “Carry on then Commander. Good work everyone,” he said, turning his attention to the bridge crew. “Lieutenant Nobeki, keep an eye on that ship until the marines board. Bounty are the marines ready?”
“Boarding the pinnace as we speak Admiral,” the AI responded.
“Good, tell them to launch when ready. Damage control?”
“We're working on it. Fortunately most of the damage was minor. The crew has secured the equipment and compartments and are working on temporary hull patches now.”
“I'm glad we drilled on damage control,” Enric said.
“Yes,” Irons said. “There is a method to it all. Sickbay?”
“Full right now Admiral. They have their hands full with surgery,” Bounty reported.
“Then I won't go jog their elbow right now. I'll head down to inspect the damage and lend a hand. Mister Bounty, you have the bridge,” he said.
“Aye sir,” the ship's AI replied as the Admiral exited.
<----*----*----*---->
The Marines found two hundred fifty slaves on the freighter. Some had important rolls, engineers, medics, but also a few children or young rather beautiful women. Most of them were medics; Hidoshi's World was an agro world and lacked heavy industry. The engineers were little better than blacksmiths or retired spacers. Two were people who had worked at the planet's one and only space port as air mechanics to crop dusters.
Lewis reported that several of the women and children had been found in the crew quarters, chained to beds or in cages. They were filthy and half starved, but when his people had let them out and informed them they were rescued they had broken down.
What bothered Irons were the children. They found that they weren't there as slave labor or
to be brainwashed, most had been requested by some sick people in Horath. The requests went so far as to list age, hair color, and body type.
“There are some seriously sick people in Horath Admiral,” Sprite said.
“Yes. Yes I know,” he said tightly, keeping a lid on his rage with difficulty.
“At least we saved these before they got their filthy hands on them,” Sprite reminded him.
“Yes. Yes we did,” he said after a long moment. He stared at the LCD for a long time with eyes that didn't see.
“Admiral, we know what triggered this, Commander McGuyver reported a call from the collier just before she warned the others. Apparently he was tripped up by a call for Chief Roberts' brother.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. But he also mentioned a call for entertainment material. That got my interest. I was ignoring it or overwriting the material. Apparently that was a mistake.”
“Not your fault Commander,” the Admiral replied. “It happened. We didn't know they would want it,” he said.
“But we should have. Ships far from home crave tastes of home,” Sprite reminded him. He frowned and then nodded. “But that wasn't the oversight I meant. I meant the material itself. Some is rather basic, sporting events of one sort or another. But there is a lot more there. Most of the films or video portray aliens and Neo's in a negative light.”
“Propaganda,” the Admiral said and nodded. “Brainwashing the masses,” he said.
“Yes, but not just that. There are seriously some sick people. There are game shows where they torture and kill aliens Admiral. For fun and to win money,” she said.
He scowled.
“And then there are the gladiator shows, where they are put in a ring and basically hack each other to death. Or a 'noble defender of the people', does it to them in a staged bloodletting,” she paused. He could hear the quote marks there. “Fight a battle against an alien or Neo. They always win, though some fights look close. I'm betting all are rigged of course.”
“Of course. It wouldn't be good to show the people's champion fall,” the Admiral said. He was a bit sickened by the idea of showing such barbarianism to the masses. What were these people turning themselves into?