by Max Jager
"So are you going to be all right?" He asked her.
"Oh I'll be just fine, how about you?" Matt grimaced,
"I don't know, this whole trip to earth bothers me, something isn't right."
"Well if you feel that way about it don't go," she replied.
"Naww I can't do that, besides it's my job to keep them from landing in some place like Iran or China. Kaitlyn studied the concerned look on his face, then said.
"You really are worried aren't you? So what is it about this trip that bothers you?"
He thought a moment, then replied.
"Well for starters, Orlak wants to go shooting a bunch of dangerous wild animals, I think Slavek and Rekton want to go piss 'em off in area 51, Skart has got something on his mind as well, but he won't say what. Then this friend of Rekton's sounds like a troublemaker as well, I'm not sure what his game is yet. The point is all these guys seem to be working some sort of angle, but I'm not sure what it is."
"They do seem like a strange bunch," replied Kaitlyn, "Say, you don't think they are trying to stir up some sort of war do you? Maybe shoot someplace up then see how the authorities deal with it?" Matt gave her a blank look,
"As much as I keep telling myself otherwise, I keep coming back to that thought."
Chapter 64
Titan Stand Chapter 64
The next morning when he and Slavek arrived at the "Azani" Matt was amazed by the ship. It resembled the "Millennium Falcon" from Star Wars in general shape and size. It also sat lower to the ground that the other spacecraft he had been on. Instead of walking up a ramp, it looked like you boarded from the side through a round hatch door. He also noticed the gun turrets dotting the ship a flat "belly" turret was located underneath with one on top there also seemed to be two smaller ones along the fuselage. The craft also sported two small "winglets" that housed what he guessed were plasma cannons.
"Jeezist! We're really loaded for bear here," He thought. Matt wasn't sure what recon/scout craft were supposed to look like but this thing looked more like a glorified fighter or possibly even a raider craft. As he threw his bags through the open entry way, doubt and uncertainty crept back into his mind. Things didn't improve when he came on the rest of the crew standing around in a small open area just behind the bridge.
Besides wearing what could only be battle jackets of various descriptions, and Base helmets like his, all appeared to be heavily armed, with pistols tucked into drop leg holsters. Skart and Orlak were wearing two pistols and combat belts with pouches and gear hanging on them. No doubt about it, these guys had geared up for something, and a little "voice" in his head was screaming,
"Warning Will Robinson!" Slavek had disappeared down a short corridor so he was on his own. Dropping his gear, Matt took a deep breath.
"Before I go anywhere with you guys I want some answers!" Looking straight at Rekton he exclaimed,
"Why do I get the feeling you guys aren't telling me something, what's going on here?"
"Well what do you think is going on Matt?" calmly replied Rekton.
"Honestly, I think you guys are planning something once we get to earth. What is it, blasting some village to pieces, or maybe blowing something else up? From what I can see, this ship has more combined firepower than most air forces back on earth. Wait! I've got it; you're planning on stealing something."
No one said a word, but just continued to stare at him until Ifwol Skyn spoke up.
"Well we could really use your help Matt, but we didn't want to scare you." "What are you talking about?" He replied, "I'm sorry, but I refuse to participate in anything that might harm or endanger people on earth." At that, everyone broke out laughing, just as Slavek came up next to him.
"I'm sorry Matt this misunderstanding is all my fault but after that last incident with the raiders…Well Jezang and I weren't sure you would go if we came right out and told you."
"Told me about what?" He demanded. Slavek grimaced, and pursed his lips.
"How did you think we were going to travel to your planet?"
Matt shrugged,
"I don't know, guess I never gave it much thought, but won't we simply head back towards Fort Kamata, Denedra and that way?" He heard a couple of snickers but Slavek shook his head.
"No Matt, that's the long way, we have no reason to go to Fort Kamata. Instead, we will be taking an almost straight shot with only two course corrections required." Then after heaving a deep sigh, he added.
"Unfortunately this course will take us directly through the Thovan system, home of the Diyari and the Vel'Takz."
"Oh shit!" Gasped Matt, "Let me guess, the Thovan system is home turf for Agrat Styr and his "home boys," and we're going to have to fight our way through the whole raider empire."
"Why don't you just settle down," growled Orlak, "In the first place it won't be that bad, we will be traveling in stealth mode, and we will have a Malhazar gunship accompanying us."
"This whole thing is really starting to sound fucked" thought Matt, "No wonder Tiag didn't want to go, she must have told Kaitlyn."
"So how do the Malhazars figure in all this?" He asked Orlak.
The Lyskandan grimaced, replying with,
"Well let's just say they have a score to settle, you if anyone should know about that Matt, you dispatched Agrat, and the information you supplied Tyron Vott, has finally brought them to their time of revenge." All he could do was stare at his feet and shake his head,
"This just keeps getting better and better," he thought to himself, "What the hell else could go wrong?" Then directing his attention back to Rekton, he asked,
"Oh I get it, we're attacking some raider base?" No one replied, but then Slavek spoke up.
"I'm sorry Matt, I've never seen anyone operate those cannons the way you did, then the way you handled those raiders." Then addressing the others he said.
"I'm sorry everybody, once again I take the blame, I mis-read Matt here thinking him to be something he's not. Without him, it doesn't appear we'll be going to earth, but we do have an agreement to honor with the Malhazars, so prepare to depart. Matt, I'm sorry you feel the way you do, but we're going to have to…"
"Hold on, just a minute, I didn't say I wouldn't go, I'm just pissed that you didn't play fair with me from the start. All I ask is that you lay ALL your cards on the table." Slowly stepping forward, Rekton said,
"All right, fair enough Matt. It so happens the Malhazars came to Ifwol, Skart and I with an offer. They knew you were friends with Slavek and Tiag and that you provided them with some very useful information concerning the raiders that killed some of their people. Your guess was correct; we are indeed going to attack one of their bases, a place called "Bline-Aichel."
"Once we have completed our mission, we will them proceed to earth, a trip I might add is being completely underwritten by the Malhazars." He thought for a moment, then shrugged.
"One more question though, all of you look me in the eye and tell me you have no intention of invading earth." Everyone turned to look at the person next to him then all burst out laughing.
"Rest assured," exclaimed Rekton as he tried to stop laughing,
"We have absolutely no plans to invade earth."
Matt studied them for a moment trying to decide if they were being truthful or not.
"All right, I'm "in" and may the "force" be with us."
"What force?"
"Uhh never mind."
The Azani was now two cycles out from Ruddoria. The Malhazar gunship had joined them only a few hours ago, a spacecraft Matt thought looked suspiciously like a stubby winged B-2 bomber. Right now he sat at the small table in the galley area cleaning his rifle and shotgun. The odor of Hoppe's solvent was strong but one that reminded him of home. Everyone else was either asleep, or doing something else. Something still troubled him, but he couldn't put his finger on it, as a result, he couldn't sleep. Matt figured this was a good time to clean his guns because if he did it while everyone was awake, they would just pester him with
stupid questions. Suddenly, Jezang slipped up behind him giving him a start.
"I did not mean to frighten you Matt," she exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it Jezang," he replied. Then without turning around, he indicated an empty chair.
"Have a seat, what's on your mind?" She slipped into the chair like a cat watching him intently.
"Did you truly mean it when you asked if I could join with you and Amber?"
He stopped working and looked at her.
"Absolutely Jezang, I think we'd make for one bad-ass crew." Jezang said nothing for a moment then in a low voice,
"Most others would not care to have me around, you are different."
"Well I'm not like most others Jezang, actually I think you're pretty cool, Amber is too. You two may be the last of your kind, you belong together, like Amber said, you are sisters."
He now realized she was waiting for more, so he added.
"We don't have anything like you or Amber back on earth, you two are very unique. The only thing close to you is an imaginary character in a movie. Hangin' with two "terminators" is pretty damn cool…As long as they aren't trying to kill you."
He could see that she was now clearly confused so he gently patted her arm.
"If we get a chance once we get back to earth, maybe I'll let you see the movie, but for right now Jezang, consider me a very good friend."
Although she smiled at him, it did nothing to diminish her stark white skin with the jagged black blazes across her face, upper chest and arms. As she continued to watch him, her eyes fell on the strange pistol he had found on Ussen Ommo, now laying on the table where he worked.
Noticing her eying the weapon, he casually said.
"Found that in some ruins on Ussen Ommo, I think it's some kind of pistol, which is probably pretty old, I can't figure out to work it." Jezang picked it up and carefully looked it over.
"It is good that you didn't, this weapon is trapped, had you figured out how to operate it, the thing would have exploded on you." Matt stopped what he was doing, and gasped in horror.
"Fuck! I've been carrying that thing around for months now, so how does it work?" Jezang shook her head,
"Do not try to operate it; there is a secret catch which I will not show you. Get rid of it, it cannot be de-activated it was made strictly as a trap."
"Holy shit!" He thought, "Talk about close calls!"
"See there you go Jezang, you just saved my life, another reason to have around."
He had just finished up and was packing up his cleaning supplies when Skart appeared. Sitting down next to Matt and Jezang he pointed to the guns, and asked.
"Where could we get weapons like that?" Matt shrugged,
"Well if we had gone out towards Fort Kamata way, we could have stopped off on Xandrus, they make pretty good "re-pops", they made a couple copies of the AR you see lying there. I couldn't believe it, they were absolutely identical, and the steel in them looked to be even better than the original. They also duplicated the ammo as well. I used some of it when we took that last raider ship, fired just as good as the original." Skart frowned,
"Unfortunately we are traveling a different course. Actually I was thinking of your planet." Now it was Matt's turn to frown.
"Well…You guys brought enough gold, silver and diamonds so paying for them wouldn't be a problem, but I'm afraid you just couldn't walk into a gun shop and tell the clerk,
"I'll take that one, and that one, oh and that one as well. The fact that you are from outer space wouldn't cut any ice either. However, there might be places you could get them…By force. Skart really perked up at this,
"How do you mean Matt?" He could see the Vaeon was really interested now, so was Jezang. Smiling and shaking his head, he began.
"Well there's always a war going on somewhere back on earth. There were several when I first left, probably more as we speak. Then there are drug labs and terrorist camps in the deserts and jungles of various countries. If you guys were really serious about attacking people on earth these would be the places to start."
Skart glared at him,
"How many times do we have to tell you we have no ill intentions toward your planet?"
"Now now, Skart, don't get your panties in a knot," replied Matt, "I'm just saying.
Seriously though, these places are a hemorrhoid on the ass of society, and certainly no one would miss them. Look, once we come in over earth, we need to find a communications satellite and tap into it. I need to make a couple phone calls, and we can tap into the internet as well, that will give us a little information as to where some of these places might be at." All the talk had finally made him sleepy, so Matt finally turned in. After he had awakened, showered and eaten his breakfast, Both Rekton and Orlak approached him with the same questions.
"Look you guys, I'll tell you what I told Skart, you're just going to have to be patient. I have a rough idea of where these camps probably are, but not exactly. They are big places and we'll have to do some hunting…All in cloak mode you understand. But let me ask you this, if the raiders can't detect my weapons, how are we going to be able to locate the same weapons from a lot farther away?"
"You are right," said Orlak, "We won't be able to either; however the sensors will be able to pick up the slightest signs of habitation, and life forms. And as you said, these places are all located well away from civilization."
"Well guys!" Sighed Matt, "We will see what we will see."
Chapter 65
Titan Stand Chapter 65
Matt had just settled into his bunk when a loud buzzer began to sound.
"Raiders, raiders, to your battle stations, to your battle stations."
He quickly jumped out of bed and pulled on his pants and boots without lacing them. Orlak had assigned him to the top turret, and in a matter of seconds he had powered up and was searching for targets. The fire control scanner was telling him six "unknowns" were rapidly approaching high, and from the right. Everyone was reporting in to Orlak letting him know all guns were online. Currently the Azani was traveling in cloaked mode masking the ships heat and warp signatures.
"Unfortunately," added Rekton,
"As good as our protection is, a good scanner operator might still be able to pick us up. Often times it's nothing more than a "feeling."
"Then it's "game on," replied Matt.
"I'm afraid so," said Rekton, "That's why it's very important that you always let them get first shot. It's tough I know, but you have to keep your finger off the trigger as even the slightest pressure can sometimes cause what we call "bleed out" which means that an infinitesimal amount of particle matter is leaking from your guns but it's all they need."
The Malhazar ship was cloaked as well, so Matt had no idea of its position. The objects were now registering as XXX06 indicating that they were probably raiders. They continued to come up on the Azani's rear but as yet hadn't taken evasive action. Suddenly, a brilliant light appeared just below the flight of raiders practically blinding him even with the visor on his helmet down over his eyes.
He heard,
"Jaholb! What was that?" coming from Orlak over the comm, as he watched the flight of raiders immediately disperse in all directions with all of them looking to be on fire.
"I don't know what just happened, but everybody open fire," exclaimed Orlak. Matt immediately opened up catching one that had been flung in his direction. Whatever had just happened heavily damaged all the raider craft, completely destroying some and damaging the rest. Suddenly, Orlak announced,
"We're coming up on Bline-Aichel, stand by…" Suddenly Orlak exclaimed,
"What the Melik! Hang on everyone, and cover your eyes, we've got…"
Suddenly the ship was tossed sideways as Matt banged his head on the turret back plate. The whole turret basket was bathed in a brilliant white light as the ship continued to be tossed around. He felt the ship picking up speed confirmed by the greenish light from the engines glow much brighter. Looking at his scanner,
he saw what could only be a small star but it sure seemed awful damned close,
"What the fuck just happened?" He thought.
Others were also asking the same question, judging from all the comm traffic he was hearing over his headset. Orlak started calling for damage reports with Gyod and Skart reporting minor to moderate damage to their guidance control, and life support. Matt remained vigilant constantly checking his fire control scanner for any "unknown's." Once he thought he saw something briefly register on the outer edge of the scanner, but it quickly disappeared. Finally Gyod reported that the damage had been repaired, and that they could proceed on a normal course. Orlak's voice then sounded over everyone's headsets.