The Key
Page 16
Chapter 16
Redemption's corridors were filled with crewmembers hustling to and from the various stations throughout the ship. Major Narja walked quickly, dodging machinery, and repair drones along the way. An air of urgency flooded through the ship like a narcotic coursing through an addict's veins.
Time seemed to be in short supply lately. Terrorists on the planet below, problems with repairs to the ship, and who knew what else was going to happen, all with Redemption caught in the middle. Her crew was strong, but they were tired. The Battle of Bakesh had been brutal. Hundreds of his marines were dead. Redemption had fared no better.
The summons had come by normal channels. Narja had been tending to his duties, tending to the needs of his marines.
The turbo lift quickly took Major Narja to the bridge. A handful of officers were at their stations, monitoring every aspect of operations on board the mighty ship. A Caldonian pilot sat at her station, her leathery hands placed on the cold silver console before her. The silvery metal glistened in the light as it worked its way up her arms to the elbow. Next to the Caldonian sat a large Malgar. His massive body dwarfed the navigators console in front of him. The dull gray of his skin contrasted the tan leather of the pilot's. A human weapons officer sat near the Captain's chair, monitoring the progress of the repairs to the defensive systems.
"Major, the Captain is waiting for you." Angel appeared in front of Narja. She wore a hard expression on her slender face. "You may enter."
"Thank you Angel." Major Narja told the hologram as he placed his hand on the pressure plate to announce himself, and open the door to the Captain's ready room.
Narja entered quickly, and saluted. "Major Narja reporting as ordered Sir."
"Major, please have a seat." Captain McWilliams stood, returned the salute, and motioned toward a chair. "We need to advance our plans for Olcai. I don't think that we have much time left."
"Sir?" Narja looked at his Captain as he sat down in the plush, leather chair.
Jason sat behind his desk, and drummed his fingers on the polished wood. "Angel found something in the debris field. We believe that it is a Ta'Reeth satellite. Unfortunately we don't know what it's doing, but whatever it is, it can't be good."
A moment passed as Narja thought about the Ta'Reeth, and the destruction that inevitably followed in their wake. Entire worlds had been laid to waste. Whole populations were slaughtered or enslaved at the whim of the invaders. No one was safe from the terror of the Ta'Reeth. His own family had tried to fight them, but to no avail. They had simply sent wave upon wave of genetically engineered warriors against the meager defenses of the Caldonian outpost, until nothing was left. His Mother had managed to place her baby in a small escape pod, and send it floating away with the wreckage of the space station, only for it to be picked up by a slave trader in the Malgari system.
Hatred flowed into Narja's eyes. "When do you want the marines ready Sir?"
"Two hours." Captain McWilliams looked at Narja. "I want your men ready to do whatever it takes to defend those people."
"Yes Sir." Steel entered the Major's voice. "We will be sir. You have my word on it."
"That's good enough for me Narja. You have a lot to do. Dismissed." Jason stood, and saluted. Major Narja returned the salute, and quickly left the ready room.
His mind swam with implications of his actions to come. He made a list of things to be done, and in what order to do them, before he even left the bridge. His marines were going to be tested again. Their metal would be placed in the fire of battle once more to defend a people that could not do so for themselves. Men and women of different races were going to die together, not knowing or caring about the difference in their heritage. Caldonians were going to die for humans, and bakeerons were going to give their lives defending malgars. In battle the color of one's skin does not matter, only the bonds of brotherhood, and the cause for which one lays down his life.
The turbo lift sped through the ship. Inside, Narja accessed his personal com link. "All marine officers report to the briefing room." he ordered as the doors of the turbo lift released him into the corridor. Aside from a few repair drones, the corridor was virtually empty. Narja wasted no time as he walked to the briefing room.
"Attention!" one of his Lieutenants yelled as the Major walked into the room.
"As you were." Major Narja ordered, and waited for the other officers to sit back in their seats before he continued. He quickly walked to the front of the room, and activated the holo-projector.
"Gentlemen, you all know that something is happening on the planet below." Narja scrolled through the files in his database. "You may not know exactly what is happening, but rest assured that it is serious." He paused long enough to look each of the officers in their eyes. "It is serious enough that Captain McWilliams wants us to be ready to land in two hours."
Narja found the file he had been looking for, and activated it. A hologram of Olcai filled the space over the table that dominated the center of the room. "Here is what we are going to do." Narja said as he outlined his plan.