by L. Fergus
“You did what you had to. No fault in that. When the time came, you did what was right; that’s what’s important, and you kept that kid alive. That’s a feat in and of itself.”
“I feel bad for her. Talli has such a strong attachment to Dev, and I can barely tell her anything about her. Dev was the mother Talli dreamed of and then to have Dev murdered in front of her…It’s more than a soul should have to bear.”
“I’ll work with her. I knew Dev. Maybe I can get Talli to open up.”
“I promised her a picture.”
“I’ll get her one.”
“Commandant, the depot is refusing us permission to dock,” said the shuttle pilot. “They say this depot is for Shadow Fleet and Bureau ships only.”
Sarin broke the connection with Talon. She’d expected the Political Bureau supply depot would turn them away. The depot’s existence was ‘need to know’ only. “Did you tell them our ship is having an emergency and they’re the closest facility?”
“Yes, ma’am. They don’t care.”
“Did you tell them a commandant is aboard?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Dock anyway. Let’s see what they can muster.” Sarin looked at the other Angels. “Showtime, girls.” She stood and moved toward the door. Through the window, she watched as they passed into the hangar. Outside, she could see four Political Bureau soldiers waiting with rifles. The shuttle touched down with a thump. Sarin drew her pistols.
“Open it,” Sarin instructed Ryder.
Ryder turned the lever on the shuttle door and threw it open. When Sarin had a clear line of sight, she fired, dropping the four soldiers where they stood.
“Talli,” called Sarin.
“Yeah?” said the teenager as she pulled her mask into place.
“Time to hunt. Kill them all, just don’t damage the equipment.”
“You got it.”
Talli pushed passed Sarin and vanished as she walked across the hangar.
“Klein,” Sarin yelled back to the pilot.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Call the ship and tell them it’s safe to dock. We need to get the dockworkers unloaded so we can get this place operational as soon as possible. Athena, found anything yet?”
“Yes, Mom. I have found the codebook for the Shadow Fleet and have the codes to call the Shadow Fleet ships. Would you like me to send them?”
“Yes. How far away are they?”
“They are a week away. Five days if I instruct them to travel at maximum power.”
“Good. That gives us enough time to learn the cranes and other equipment. Call them in.”
The hull of Emperor’s Punisher slid alongside the supply depot.
“How do they sound, Athena?” said Sarin.
“The level of stress in their voices gives no indication they detect anything is amiss. I have been using recordings from the last time the ships docked, and they have been following my instructions without question.”
“Have you made contact with the escort ship, Luna?”
“Yes, they are standing by waiting their turn in port. I am passively attacking the ship’s systems, same as I have been doing against Emperor’s Punisher.”
“Good girl. As soon as we get their hatches opened, we’ll head for the bridge.”
“Thanks, Mom. I will monitor your progress and keep an eye on young Talli.”
Sarin didn’t think Talli would go rogue on her, but the teenager had been lashing out at random lately. Sarin had met with her twice in clinical sessions to try and help her, but the teenager was smart and stonewalled her at every chance. For this mission, to capture the Emperor’s Punisher and her escort ship Luna, Talli was going in solo to reach the Emperor’s Punisher’s manual self-destruct button before any of the Political Bureau could. What Sarin didn’t want was the teenager carving a path to it, and she was instructed only to use lethal force to stop the self-destruct from being activated. If Talli obeyed her, that would be the question.
Sarin wished Kita were here. She had a way of reaching gifted and troubled kids. Sarin was never sure if they saw Kita as a friend, parent, or role model—probably all three. The kids all ended up differently, and only Phoenix seemed to want to assume Kita’s mantel.
Seeing Emperor’s Punisher stirred memories of living aboard Emperor’s Wrath for four years. She and Kita had settled down into family life then. While she attended to her practice, Kita raised the twins. Sarin missed them and missed being their mother, even if she hadn’t been very good at it. A wave of anger and hate at Galina and Sheppard for taking Spike and Quill from her overtook her nostalgia. She knew first blood belonged to Kita, but she was going to get her share. Her babies didn’t deserve to die.
Sarin returned her focus to the ship as the magnetic locks leaned into place, mooring the ship to the dock. The dock area of the depot could have fit the ship inside. Stacks of containers lined the dock in long rows. The depot had enough goods, supplies, and material to keep the two ships going for a year. Doors along the side of the ship opened and the cranes extended into place.
“Scarlett, Kristi, how are you doing?” said Sarin over the comm.
“We’re just reaching Luna now. As soon as we find a way in, we’ll make sure they behave themselves,” said Talon.
“Be careful.”
“We’ll be fine.”
Sarin still worried. Neither of them were military or Legion and would have little sway over the crew. The hope was if they secured the engines and took out the Political Bureau personnel the crew would fall in line, or at least not do anything ill advised until getting orders from Emperor’s Punisher.
“Looks like it’s our turn,” said Ryder as a crane moved over the container beside them.
The two Angels entered the container and closed the door. The magnetic clamps banged against the sides of the container, and they felt the container vibrate as it lifted into the air. They rode in silence until they felt the thump of the container hitting the deck.
“All cameras in the cargo area are looped,” said Athena.
Sarin turned into a cloud and engulfed Ryder. She passed through the stack of containers to a dark place in the cargo area. Sarin released Ryder, returned to her Angelic form, and both Angels turned invisible. Relying on Sarin’s experience aboard Emperor’s Wrath, they glided above the cargo to the door leading to the main elevator.
As a cloud, Talon drifted through the Luna into her engine room. Only six sailors were working. They all wore blue coveralls, except for a man in a black Political Bureau uniform who was in discussion with one of the other sailors.
“I’m telling you there’s no way to fix it without a replacement part,” said the sailor.
“I do not want excuses, sailor. I want results. I won’t have you jeopardizing this ship with your incompetence.”
“How is it incompetent to order a part? We’re at the depot. If I send the request now, it’ll be in the supply cache they load. If we don’t, it’ll be a month, and the engines can’t jump to FTL without the part.”
“Are you saying you are unwilling to follow my order, sailor?”
“What order? You want me to do the impossible. I can’t fix it without the part.”
“This ship will not be seen as deficient for any length of time. You will fix it now.”
“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”
Cinnamon appeared behind the Political Bureau officer and hit him in the back of the head with her pistol. He fell to the floor unconscious. “Probably not. All he’s worried about is how it’s going to make him look.”
Talon appeared. She took a set of zip-cuffs from her belt and tied up the Political Bureau officer.
“Who—Alarm!” cried the sailor.
“Whoa, take it easy,” said Cinnamon. “We’re on your side. And nobody’s leaving or talking to anyone else until you agree. We’re here under orders from Deputy Commandant Sarin of the Legion. The Political Bureau is engaging in a coup against the Emp
eror. Commandant Sarin is the leader of the resistance.”
“Lady, I don’t even know what you are.”
Talon stepped forward. “We’re Children of the Emperor—”
“We are?” said Cinnamon over the comm.
“It’s an old lie, but it works. Everyone is in awe of what the Emperor possesses. We fit that belief structure.” Talon returned her attention to the sailors. “The Emperor is under attack. It is our duty to defend her against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It is time for you to stand by the oath you swore when you enlisted.”
“I…You have proof of this?” said the sailor.
“Knocking one of them out isn’t enough of a sign?” said Cinnamon.
“Chief, if they're against these Political Bureau stooges, I say we help them,” said another sailor.
“How many Political Bureau soldiers are on the ship?” said Talon.
“Six, including him. One is always on duty in the engine room and the bridge. The others move around the ship.”
“Athena, can you see them?”
“Yes. One is on the bridge, three are in quarters, and one is in the officer’s lounge. I have locked the doors to their quarters and the officer’s lounge.”
“Who’s that?” said the chief.
“I am Athena. I was a community AI for the Emperor before Child of the Emperor Kita freed me. I have been helping her until her incarceration by the Political Bureau. Since then, I have been helping Commandant Sarin.”
“They gotta be with the Emperor. Ain’t nobody got tech like that except them,” said a third sailor. “I mean AI and whatever happened to them—”
“Genetic modification,” said Talon. Her hand appeared, and she opened up her talons causing the sailors to jump.
“If you don’t like pointy things you can always play with fire,” Cinnamon said lighting a fireball in her hand.
“By the Emperor!” said the chief.
“Believe us now?”
“I’m not going to stand in your way.”
“That is enough for my mission,” said Talon.
“We’re with you,” said the third sailor with the rest of the engine room crew.
Talon looked at Cinnamon. “They could be useful in swaying the other crew.”
“Follow us,” said Cinnamon.
“Mom, I have found references that indicate the senior officers of Emperor’s Punisher are still alive and are being held in the detention center,” said Athena.
“Hold the elevator, Athena,” said Sarin. “What do you think?” she asked Ryder.
“I think it’ll be easier to convince them then the enlisted, and having them at our side adds legitimacy to us when we take the ship.”
“Agreed. Athena, take us to the detention level.”
“Yes, Mom. I must warn you the detention level is a separate network that I can’t access. You will be operating without me.”
“I understand,” said Sarin as she screwed her silencers into her pistols.
“I thought we were trying to take this as bloodless as possible?” said Ryder.
“Speed is going to be paramount. Getting to the prisoners before the Political Bureau can kill them is key. We’ll try to go through as stealthy as possible, but if it becomes a race, start shooting—just try to injure the Marines.”
“Mom,” said Athena, “Scarlett and Kristi have made contact and have convinced part of the crew they are Children of the Emperor. They are moving forward to seize the ship.”
“Interesting ploy, I didn’t think of that.”
“I thought Children of the Emperor were a myth,” said Ryder.
“I don’t know for sure, but it’s how Galina explained our wings to Sheppard when we woke up the crew of Emperor’s Wrath. Most citizens of the UEE believe Children of the Emperor are real.”
The elevator stopped, and the door opened. The Angels hid their wings and stepped out. In front of them was the security control desk operated by Political Bureau soldiers. To the left and right passages led off to the detention areas.
“You are not authorized to be here,” a soldier, with a heavy German accent, said while standing up from behind the desk. He wore a major’s tab on his collar. “What is your name and rank?”
Sarin looked at Ryder and shrugged. “Deputy Commandant Sarin with General Starr, Major.”
The major looked unfazed by the appearance of the two senior officers.
“This unauthorized intrusion will be reported to the Political Bureau, and you will be disciplined.”
Sarin drew a pistol and fired into the major’s forehead. “We’re here to return this ship to its rightful owner.” She shot the other two soldiers as they stood. Jumping over the desk, she looked at the screen. “Neptune’s rings. They’ve sent out a silent alarm. You take the left and shoot everyone. Make sure they don’t kill the prisoners.”
Ryder didn’t answer as she was already moving down the left passage. Sarin sprinted down the right passage where it intersected another passage. She turned the corner into a waiting guard with a rifle ready to fire. Behind him, another guard was tapping on a console. She fired at the guard at the console as the other guard fired a three-round burst into her chest.
As Sarin stumbled backward, she adjusted her aim and fired into the faceplate of the guard who had shot her. Two more three-round bursts hit her in the back. She threw herself to the ground and rolled, dodging bullets, then fired hitting a guard in the jaw. Sarin twisted on the floor as bullets struck her in the leg. The last guard moved toward her and shot her in the chest. Sarin ignored the damage and returned fire, killing the guard.
Sarin leveraged herself to her feet, ignoring the blood and pain coming from her wounds. She shuffled down to the console the guard had been using. It controlled the cells for this cellblock. They had set eight cells to terminate. She deactivated the termination sequence and unlocked the doors. Cell sixteen was marked ADMIRAL FIRDAUS. Sarin shuffled down to the cell. She hit the button to open the door and leaned against the doorframe.
“Admiral Firdaus?” Sarin said to a dark-haired man with olive skin and golden eyes.
“Who—By the Emperor! What happened to you?”
Sarin slumped to the floor. “I’ll be all right. I’m here to return your ship to you.”
“You must lie down,” he looked at her collar and nametape, “Deputy Commandant Sarin,” he said with awe in his voice. He ripped the sheet from his bunk. “Where are you hit?”
“I…lost count. I think I’m going to sleep now.”
“No, you can’t. You must stay awake. Anyone out there?” Firdaus yelled into the hallway.
Ryder appeared in the doorway. “What’s the—Jane, what the irons happened?” Ryder knelt next to Sarin.
“Are you with her?” said Firdaus.
“Yes. I’m General Ryder Starr of the Red Legion stationed in the Bitterfreeze system.”
“I recognize the name, General. We must get her to medical.”
“I don’t know if that would help. We should just take the commandant to the morgue and leave her.”
“Excuse me, General?”
“You believe in zombies, Admiral?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“The commandant will rise from the dead. Give her a few minutes to squeeze the bullets back out of her.”
“What is going on?” Firdaus demanded.
Ryder raised an eyebrow. “The tactical picture is we’re here to get your ship and crew back from the Political Bureau. The strategic picture is the commandant wants to free the Shadow Fleet and take it to Earth. The rest is a bit stranger,” Ryder made her wings visible. “Do you believe in Children of the Emperor? You’re in the presence of two.”
“I…you’re an Angel?”
“Yeah, but probably not in the context you’re thinking. We serve the Emperor, not some theology.”
Sarin’s eyes opened. “Oh, Neptune’s rings, I forgot how much that hurts.” She reached down and pic
ked a bullet out of her skin.
“Do you need anything, Commandant?” said Firdaus.
Sarin saw that Ryder’s wings were out and made hers visible. “I need you to rally your officers, grab the weapons, and get ready to head for the bridge. By that time, I should be fit to fight again. Ryder, why don’t you go with him? I don’t want any surprises.”
“You got it.” Ryder waved Firdaus to his feet and led him into the cellblock.
“Mom,” said Athena.
“Yeah?”
“I have a report on Talli. She has taken the engine room and killed four Political Bureau soldiers in the process. She’s barricaded inside and wants to know what to do?”
Sarin sighed and winced in pain. At least she kept to killing the Political Bureau. “Tell her to stay there until I come to get her. No one but one of us is allowed in.”
The elevator doors opened and Sarin, Ryder, Firdaus, and a handful of senior officers armed with the weapons taken from the guards in the detention center entered the bridge.
“Excuses will not be tolerated!” a man in a black uniform yelled from the command podium to one of the stations below him. “Get my ship back online! All of you! And find the source of this outage. For your sakes, it had better trace back to the depot, or I will have you all flogged.”
Sarin stepped forward, the blood on her uniform not yet dry. “What is this? Are we aboard a nineteenth-century English man-of-war? We don’t flog people for software issues. We don’t flog people at all.”
The man spun around. “Whoever you are, you’re under arrest.”
“I believe this is my authority.” Sarin drew a pistol. “And the rank on my collar is my authorization. I am Deputy Commandant Sarin. In the name of the Emperor, detain all Political Bureau personnel until further notice, and the command of this vessel is returned to Admiral Firdaus.”
From the stations below, a Political Bureau soldier fired at Sarin, the bullet going through her wing and hitting the wall. From her left and right, a dozen guards sprang into action, initiating a violent firefight.
Most of the crew took cover as the soldiers exchanged fire with the sailors and Marines. Sarin targeted the left while Ryder took the right. The elevator opened, and a group of eight armed Shadow Fleet officers exited to help Sarin’s group.