Titan Stand

by Max Jager

  Finally he spoke, tossing his idea about the raiders capturing the Malhazar ship.

  "I've been thinking that myself," replied Skart.

  "Kind of a long shot, but it could explain how they found out about you and where you were from."

  "Do you think we'll be running into a hornet's nest when we get back?" Asked Matt.

  "I doubt it," replied Slavek, "The raiders don't have that kind of strength. More likely places like Fort Kamata will be crawling with informants. The moment we show up the raiders will know, we have to stop, we will desperately need fuel. Rekton and Orlak will be the only ones debarking, the rest of us will remain aboard to guard the ship."

  "What about the prisoners?" He then asked.

  "They will remain onboard," replied Skart, "The moment it's learned that we have raider captives the raiders will know, they may even try to rescue them, otherwise, they will try and overwhelm us in space which won't end well." Then Skart turned and gave Matt a curious look.

  "Wait until you meet Brand, he's had a lot of experience dealing with the Vel'Takz, I think Rekton wants to give him a crack at our prisoners before turning them over, he certainly has his ways of getting information."

  Matt had no doubts as to what that meant, however since his arrival in this galaxy, he began to notice that these aliens were a lot more subtle in their interpersonal dealings with others than humans. Later, he caught Rekton sitting in the galley eating alone. As he sat down, the Golian looked at him asking;

  "Something on your mind?" Matt grimaced, but asked,

  "This Brand sounds interesting, Skart says he has had a lot of experience with raiders." Rekton finished chewing his food as he took a drink of his zol'mel.

  "Let's just say that he understands their motivations. He doesn't hate them like so many, he doesn't mistreat his prisoners, but by the same token he makes it clear from the start who's in charge. I just hope he's at Kamata, but if the raiders are stirred up, he might be out." Matt sighed,

  "Do you think it's possible the raiders captured that Malhazar ship?" Rekton nodded,

  "More than likely, I take it you're worried about that Malhazar girl?" Nodding, Matt replied.

  "Yeah kinda." Rekton took another swig of zol'mel, then replied.

  "Well if the raiders got hold of them they are no doubt dead, and probably in a very bad way I'm afraid ."

  Changing the subject, Matt replied,

  "Sorry you guys didn't get to see the brown bears, or the lions and cape buffalo."

  "Perhaps once this raider situation is resolved we can make another trip," replied Rekton, "Until then, I feel some bad business is afoot." During the trip home,

  He managed to get more flying instruction from Orlak from which he was told.

  "Your flying skills are good Matt," said Orlak, "However you need to work on your navigation, you can't rely strictly on the computer. Once you get that all down, I think you'll be ready for your pilot's exam." Matt considered this a great comment on his skills, especially since he was learning concepts as well as mathematical formulas totally unheard of back on earth.

  He also considered Orlak the best teacher he ever had. Slavek was always saying Lyskandan's made the best teachers, and Matt believed him. Orlak had a knack for making the complex understandable. Since Matt came from a civilization not privy to certain mathematical, and astrophysical data he took extra time in explaining things. He was asleep when they arrived at Fort Kamata, and by the time he was dressed, Rekton and Orlak had left the ship. They were at the fuel point where Gyod was overseeing the refueling. Once the fueling operation was completed, Slavek moved the Azani to a vacant landing pad. All there was left to do now was wait. Everyone was on edge not knowing what was going on. Skart was in charge, refusing to let anyone off the ship, spending all of his time monitoring the scanner not only watching for Rekton and Orlak, but any attempts by raiders to attack them. Although Matt knew such an attempt would be suicide here at the fort, Gyod said you never knew what outraged raiders might do.

  Finally, Skart announced,

  "Here they come and it looks like Brand and Aesil are with them." Matt noticed everyone wearing glum expressions as they came up the ramp, but most of all he noticed their guests. As soon as he saw the bounty hunter, an image of John Wayne popped into his mind. Golan's were normally around six feet in height which this guy certainly was, but he looked tougher than a normal Golian, even Rekton. He had an presence about him that in any language simply said,

  "Don't fuck with me." His wife followed, and although Matt didn't look at alien beauty in the same way as he did towards fellow humans, she was stunning.

  Wearing a black leather cat suit with a short black leather jacket, and high heeled boots she looked like one of those mystical Asian "dragon ladies." Both she and her husband wore drop holsters with very large pistols of some kind, plus each carried wicked looking knives horizontal sheaths in the small of their backs. Brand wore a grey leather jacket with what Matt guessed were old unit patches on each shoulder, with a round military patch on the upper

  Left part of his jacket. He also wore a jump helmet like the one Rekton wore with

  A Ruddorian communications headset and flip-up optic plate like Matt's, only the whole thing was built right into the helmet.

  Then Orlak announced,

  "Well the situation isn't good, but it's somewhat better than we feared. We've just finished speaking with the authorities giving our side of the story which they appear to believe…At least for the time being. They don't know about our prisoners as yet, Brand wants to talk to them first. It seems there was a major attack by the raiders on the Malhazar capitol of Apricullah with considerable loss of life. The Malhazar navy was able to beat them off but everyone expects another attack somewhere else is imminent. So far, the raiders are only directing their anger towards the Malhazars which by the way Matt you were right, they did manage to capture that Malhazar ship along with another. They managed to get off a distress call but so far search parties haven't been able to find them." After Orlak was finished speaking, Brand and his wife approached Matt.

  "So you're the human from earth, a rather puny race I'd say." Matt tried his best to smile,

  "Pardon me sir, but I'm still a kid, I'm only 18, I assure you we humans come in all sizes." Brand merely grunted, then turned to Rekton,

  "Well let's see what your prisoners have to say for themselves."

  Chapter 75

  Titan Stand Chapter 75

  Before they interrogated the prisoners, Rekton warned Brand not to get overly aggressive with the prisoners, "We have to turn them over to the authorities, generally in good working order, so behave Brand, you too Aesil." Matt assumed The bounty hunter would start with the pilot, the other two seemed to be mere flunkies, however it was his wife who kicked things off. As they stood in front of the make-shift cell where the three raiders were being held, Aesil began to study one of the lesser raiders.

  I think I know this fellow, is that you Palko?" The raider was maintaining a cocky attitude until he saw Aesil studying him.

  "You know him?" Questioned her husband.

  "Just a moment, let me check something." She took out what looked like one of the larger screen iPhones, only it looked like it was made of clear crystal with various designs and characters engraved into it. Suddenly it projected a small holographic image containing data both written and photographic. She then began to study the image. Matt wondered why he hadn't seen anyone else with a similar device, it looked really cool.

  Finally she found what she was looking for,

  "Ah yes, I thought so," she announced.

  I believe you told us back on Tasir Var, you were finished with the raiders, right after we busted you for dealing in "Anista." The raider chuckled ,

  "That wasn't me I'm afraid, must have been someone else…Sorry." Then Brand spoke up,

  "She's not wrong Duric, I remember you as well, and now that I think about it, seems to me you have a family living somewhe
re on Hinol…Be a shame if something were to happen to them. You know one word from me and they will all find themselves without jobs. That means they'll be kicked out of their dwelling, their account will be frozen, do I have to continue? By now the raider wore a very frightened expression,

  "Please, don't bother them, they're just trying to get by, working on Hinol isn't much, but it's all they got!" While Brand was speaking to the raider, his wife was studying more data on her little computer.

  And look who we have here, one Skice Balteric, I think we've run into you before as well…I believe it was on Z'ha'dum where you and your compatriots had gone to ground." At the mention of Z'ha'dum, Matt's ears perked up, that was the planet the people of Coryville were taken to. Meanwhile, Skice had admitted running into them before. Then Brand announced,

  "You wouldn't know it to look at him but our friend Skice here is related to the late Agrat Slyr, you're going to bring us a premium price Balteric, before they ship your sorry soul off to the Vulnite mines on Derto Eenn."

  At this point, it looked like the two raiders were about to "sing." The raider pilot suddenly produced a short thin blade and attempted to slash each of them. Instead, Brand had his pistol out, and firing a beam at the pilot that sent him violently crashing back against the back of the cage where he lay still.

  "For the love of Dister, Rekton, don't you check your prisoners anymore?" Bending down to inspect the blade, Brand pulled out a small device from his pocket and touched the blade to it. Shaking his head as he stood up, he announced.

  "Blade was poisoned with Amorth, these two would have been dead in two tics, what's the matter with you?"

  "Sorry Brand," replied Rekton, "Both Orlak and I both checked him thoroughly."

  "Yeah, well you forget he's a Vel'Takz, they have a fatty section in their thighs , where they often hide little blades like this. For some reason, the poison never leaches out so they're not affected, keep that in mind."

  "Believe me I will," replied a nervous Rekton.

  "Is he dead?" Asked Matt.

  "No" replied Brand, "Just stunned, but he's going to wish I killed him after that little stunt. No where were we, ah yes, you two were just about to tell us what's going on."

  In a defiant stance Palko spoke first.

  "What do you think is going to happen? You let those murderous Malhazars destroy our home world. Well it's a regular "call to arms," no Malhazar ship will be safe, nor will any of those drek holes they live in, and as for you people, your lives will be forfeit as well, we captured their ship and interrogated the crew, at least the ones that were left. By now, every raider in the galaxy knows who you are." Vasta Tramik then spoke up,

  "In the first place, Bline-Aichel was not your homeworld my friend,

  It's still owned by Ruddoria." He then spoke to those that might not have known.

  "For those of you not in the know, Bline-Aichel is an old mining planet we abandoned many yarns ago. It sits on the very fringe of our system, and is in fact a sort of boundary indicator. We have…Or had, a non-binding agreement with the Vel'Takz and the Diyari that if they didn't bother us, or attack shipping in any way they were safe out there. Up until this recent action, they more or less stuck to the bargain. I'm not privy to the exact details of the agreement, but I remember reading something to the fact that since we still technically owned the planet, a state of war might actually exist between us and the Malhazars for deliberately attacking and destroying one of our planets."

  Both raiders broke out laughing, as Skice announced.

  "That would certainly be a hoot, you Ruddorians doing all the dirty work for us. Well have at them, this galaxy would be a whole lot better off without that bunch of Sharma's." By now the pilot who Skice identified as Giddo Qualzac, a second level pilot. As the raider began to recover, Brand kneeled down next to the cage.

  "The next time you try something like that again Mr. Qualzac, you and I are going into a little room on my ship and I will be the only one coming out. I can make things very unpleasant for you, is that understood?"

  The pilot moaned, but slowly nodded in agreement.

  "Very good, Mr. Qualzac. While you were sleeping, your friends here told us all we needed to know. Oh, and one more thing, should any harm come to these fellow's my previous invitation will also apply."

  "I suppose your going to turn us over now aren't you?" accused Palko.

  "Actually not," replied Brand, surprising everyone in the room.

  "I'm thinking we may need messengers, or emissaries of good will as it were." He then turned to Rekton and Orlak,

  "Let's get these people over to my ship where they will be more comfortable. I actually have a few raider contacts I'm going to need to speak with, these fellow's might come in handy as symbols of good faith."

  "Well considering the current situation," exclaimed Vasta, " I think it's imperative that Slavek and I return to Ruddoria, for all we know we could be at war with Moriedia even as we speak."

  "No one mentioned anything about war," replied Rekton, "But we should be heading that way as soon as possible."

  "Well help me get these prisoners over to my ship first," said Brand.

  Matt watched as Aesil removed a small black device from her belt and aimed it at each raider. A bluish glow formed around each of their arms and waists forming a sort of glowing "girdle" that kept their arms and hands pinned to their sides. Brand then pulled black hoods over their heads.

  "This way people, watch your step." With Rekton and Orlak assisting, Brand and his wife moved the raiders down the ramp and over to their ship. It reminded Matt of some alien insect, a small "head," or flight deck, a ramp extending forward from it's "belly" with two stubby wings extending from each side. He also noticed what looked like booster engines just behind the wings that gave the ship vertical take-off abilities. He also noted the winglets had four plasma cannon barrel's protruding from them as well as a chin turret along with another on top. This guy wasn't taking any chances as he marveled at the assortment of weaponry mounted on Brand's ship.

  Walking up the short ramp, there was a foyer area separated from the adjoining cargo area by sliding hatch doors. Looking up, there was a narrow catwalk ringing the egg shaped cargo area indicating a second level. On each side of the cargo area were three small hatch doors which obviously led to cells where the prisoners were placed. As he watched, Aesil pushed some buttons on the doors as soon as the prisoners were placed inside.

  "Aren't you going to release them from those force fields?" He asked.

  "I already have," she replied, once the door locked, I pushed the button that turns it off." At this point Brand called out,

  "Malvak prepare departure in 58, I'll also need a flight status as well. Where's Doak?" Suddenly a ghostly image appeared in the middle of the cargo area, It appeared to be an image of a Golian female, who replied.

  "Preparing for take-off right away sir, Doak's on his way back from the parts and service building."

  "Damn!" Exclaimed, Brand, "I told him not to go running off."

  "Relax dear," replied Aesil, "He told me he had parts that had been sitting here for three geem's and he wanted to get them before they resold them or something."

  Brand grumbled, but said no more. Matt studied the image which was basically chest and head, and in a sort of bluish hue. Moments later a voice called out coming up the ramp.

  "Calm down Brand, I'm back, but we really needed these parts." Doak was not only an android, but the ship's engineer. He strongly resembled Gandric with his silvery/grey "skin." He wore a black jumpsuit and what looked like tactical boots.

  On his head was a battered orangish colored base jump helmet that had a light on the front like a miner's helmet. There also appeared to be a similar comm device with the tiny boom mic turned up. Doak seemed to know everybody's names which didn't surprise Matt, however when he looked Matt's way, he smiled.

  "Hello Matt!" This caught him in total surprise, as he stammered,

  "H-o-w did
you know my name?" Doak made a noise like a chuckle,

  "Almost everybody on Xandrus knows your name Matt, besides Dozox is a good friend of mine, so is Gandric." Matt was totally speechless as he tried to figure all this out.

  "Sorry to cut short the introductions," announced Brand, "But we're ready to depart for Ruddoria. If you want to talk more with Doak Matt, stay onboard we're all going to the same place." Matt looked over at Rekton who shrugged,

  "No problem Matt, we'll see you on Ruddoria."

  "Well if you are coming with us, buckle into that jump seat over there," said Doak.

  Both ships were traveling together for mutual protection given the current circumstances but once they were finally out in space, there was time to ask questions.

  "I take it that you must be from Xandrus then?" Asked Matt.