by Rick Bentsen
He kept his back flat against the wall. Soon he neared a four way intersection of corridors, which, from the map, he remembered he needed to take the corridor straight ahead. He looked down both side corridors and saw no sign of guards
Mario’s luck did not hold for long, though. As he started to cross the corridor, guards appeared in both of the side corridors.
“Hold intruder!” they ordered, raising their blaster rifles an preparing to fire.
Mario did the only thing he could think to do… He dove headfirst into the corridor across the way. The guards fired, missing Mario as he ducked and rolled into the corridor. Curious, the young man leaned back and poked his head back into the intersection to see what had happened. The blaster bolts that had missed him had hit the guards in the opposite corridors.
“Nice.”
He shook his head and turned back down the hall he needed to take. Mario moved with a cautious grace, sliding across the side of the corridor, keeping the blaster rifle trained ahead of him as he constantly checked behind him. He worked is way deeper and deeper into the complex, taking out as many Brentax soldiers as he could along the way. Finally, after about half an hour of slinking around the complex, Mario saw the door to the Brentax Commander’s office.
He grinned to himself and reset the blaster rifle to heavy stun. The colonel shook his head and started across to the closed door. He kicked it open and entered.
“Ah, you must be Colonel Bonetti,” the Brentax behind the desk said. “Come in and have a drink. I must say, you’ve been a very interesting opponent.”
Chapter 23
2.7.2136
1422
SLS White Knight
The Bridge
COMMANDER Erin Sykes was bored. And she was nervous. It was a bad combination. She knew the Captain could take care of himself. She’d known him long enough to know that. She drummed her fingers on the armrest of her chair in absentminded thought.
“I figure it’ll be another two or three hours, Commander,” Kath shook her head. “No use worrying about them yet.”
“I just have a bad feeling, Kath,” Erin sighed. “Can’t explain it.”
“They’ll be all right, Erin,” Kath smiled. “Why don’t you go grab some lunch. You’ve been on the bridge all day.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Erin said, starting to rise out of the chair.
“Commander, incoming contact at high rate of speed,” Masha called from the tactical station. “Cloak systems holding steady.”
“Identify,” Erin said, slumping back in her seat.
No rest for the wicked, she thought.
“Brentax heavy cruiser. It appears to be a Duhari class vessel. She’s heading for the jumpgate at a very high rate of speed,” Masha reported.
“Ease us away from the jumpgate. Bring up the tactical holo. And keep the damn cloaking screens up!” Erin barked.
Erin could feel the ship lurch just a little as the helm officer moved the massive ship away from the jumpgate. In the center area of the bridge, a 3-D tactical hologram of the situation fizzled into clarity. It showed the jumpgate, and the White Knight easing away from it. The Duhari class cruiser was shown streaking towards the jumpgate. As Masha had reported, they were moving at an extremely high rate of speed. The jumpgate flashed as the Brentax vessel entered it.
“They’re in a hurry wherever they’re going,” Erin noted. “Track them through hyperspace as best you can.”
“Acknowledged, Commander. Tracking now,” Masha grinned as her fingers flew over her console. “Probable course is going to take them to the Khrinnus system. Only one SLDF ship is listed as being in that system, the Creighton.”
“Kath, get me a tight-beam communication to the Gamma Epsilon station,” Erin barked. “Admiral Bonetti will want to know this information.”
“Acknowledged.”
2.7.2136
1441
Gamma Epsilon Station
Admiral John Bonetti’s Office
John had just settled back down behind his desk after catching a quick meal. He’d not wanted to leave his office in case word came in from Gamma Strike, but Sergeant Riker had assured him that should word come in, she’d personally relay it to him. The more he thought about the mission, the more nervous he became. The nervous waiting was the part of the job he hated the most. He saw the casualty report still on his desk and amended that thought to be the thing he hated the second most.
“Admiral, there’s a tight-beam communication coming in,” Sergeant Riker’s voice came over the comms. “It’s from Commander Erin Sykes.”
“Patch it through, Sergeant!” he exclaimed. The waiting is over, he added to himself with satisfaction.
“Patching it through now, Admiral,” the sergeant nodded.
Immediately, Erin appeared on John’s viewscreen. Her face was set in a look of grim determination.
“Admiral Bonetti,” Erin acknowledged.
“Commander Sykes, report,” the admiral stated.
“No word yet from the Captain’s team, Admiral,” Erin shook her head, clearly knowing that was what John wanted to know. Not that that was all that hard to guess. “But I do have other news to pass on to you.”
“Go ahead,” John sighed, unhappy that there was no news about K’Alan and his son. Not what I wanted to hear, he added to himself.
“Sir, we’ve been tracking a Duhari class heavy cruiser traveling at a high rate of speed through hyperspace,” Erin reported. “They appear to be headed to the Khrinnus system.”
“You’re sure about where they’re headed?” John asked.
“Fairly sure, sir,” Erin sighed. “And they are in a big hurry.”
“Probably out to ascertain what happened to the Dorania Toran,” John smiled. “That ship met a somewhat grisly fate by underestimating the Creighton.”
“Captain Keevan ok?” Erin asked.
“Yes,” John nodded. “The Creighton sustained some very minor damage. They’ll likely be fully repaired by the time this new vessel gets to them.”
“This is good news!” A broad smile crossed Erin’s face. “The Creighton took out a Duhari class vessel by itself?”
“Yes, they did. You needn’t worry about Captain Keevan. I’ll make sure he’s got this warning. Thank you for reporting this.” He paused. “I just wish you had had some report of the mission.”
“Me too, Admiral,” Erin sighed. “Me too. I’m a bit… nervous.”
“As am I. Contact me as soon as you have something to report.”
“I will, Admiral.”
John cut the transmission and sighed. No, he thought. The waiting is definitely not over.
He flipped on the intercom to his aide.
“Sergeant Riker, get me Captain Keevan.”
“Right away, Admiral.”
2.7.2136
1501
SLS White Knight
Soran’s Bar
“So K’Alan and I were sitting there as Mario just kinda dribbled through the drink she just poured over his head,” Soran was saying “And all he could think to say was, “Is that a no?””
S’Era laughed. K’Itea just shook her head.
“Soran, how can I make him notice me?” S’Era asked.
“Well, you are S’Era Bryce, are you not?” Soran smiled. “He’s told me many times, all of which were when your brother was not in hearing range of course, of your stunning beauty. His descriptions of which, by the way, do not compare to the real thing. He is quite enamored of you.”
“But he’s never said anything,” S’Era pouted.
“S’Era,” Soran smiled. “He’s afraid your brother would not approve.”
“You would think that after knowing my husband for 15 years, Mario’d know better,” K’Itea chuckled. “Like I told S’Era. K’Alan is imminently concerned about his sister’s happiness. If allowing Mario to date S’Era would make her happy, then, I would think he would whole-heartedly approve.”
Soran laughed, a l
ong hearty laugh. “And I’d wager that Mario and K’Alan talked about this on the long flight to Brentax III. It would be just like them to talk about something so totally unrelated to the mission at hand.”
“Oh?” K’Itea asked. “How so?”
“See,” Soran explained with a twinkle in his eye. “The way they think, they would rather joke around or deal with other things while preparing for a mission. It eases the stress. They feel that tends to make their missions go a whole lot smoother. From their track record, I’d say they’re right. It’s not a method I’d recommend for just anyone though. It doesn’t always work. Unless you’re K’Alan Bryce or Mario Bonetti, that is.”
“Maybe it’s just that they don’t want to let us girls down,” S’Era giggled. “After all, they know enough not to make us mad, don’t they?”
2.7.2136
1505
SLS Creighton
Bridge
The Khrinnus system was a small system, barely worth notice. There were four planets around a medium sized yellow star. Barely worth notice, yet it was one of the most hotly contested systems by the Brentax and the Star League. Oddly enough, even though it was so highly prized by both sides, the skirmish between the Creighton and the Dorania Toran was the first skirmish in the Khrinnus system.
Captain Tom Keevan of the Creighton did not expect the Brentax to forget. So he was less than surprised when Admiral Bonetti passed along Gamma Strike’s report that another Duhari class heavy cruiser was headed to the Khrinnus sector. He was not surprised at all, in fact, to hear it. He believed that his easy destruction of the Dorania Toran would bring waves of Brentax ships to the attack against the Creighton.
Good, he thought. Bring them on.
“I understand, Admiral,” the Creighton’s captain said, snapping out of his thoughts to look at the admiral on the viewscreen. “We’ll be ready for them. And thank Commander Sykes for passing along the info.”
“Be careful, Tom,” John cautioned. “We need all the good captains we can get.”
“I’m always careful, you old warhorse,” Tom chuckled. I’ll let you know how we do. Creighton out.”
The holo blinked out, and reports started coming in from his bridge crew.
“Cloaking system engaged and reading nominal.”
“Weapons systems primed. Modified proton torpedoes in the tubes and locked.”
“Scanners to full, reading only empty space.”
“Communications chatter normal. No Brentax activity.”
“Helm responding in nominal parameters.”
“Engines showing one hundred seven percent efficiency.”
Tom Keevan nodded to himself. They were ready. All they had to do was wait for the Brentax to show.
Chapter 24
2.7.2136
1512
Brentax III
M’Bek Tarmos’s Office
“WELL? Won’t you come in and have a drink, Colonel?” M’Bek Tarmos asked.
“With you?” Mario chuckled. “I’d be drawn and quartered for even thinking of such a thing.”
“Well, then,” the Brentax Commander said. “What can I do for you, Colonel Bonetti?”
“I don’t suppose you want to make it easy for me and just come with me to the shuttle,” Mario raised an eyebrow.
M’Bek Tarmos laughed.
“I think not, Colonel. How would it look if I just turned myself over to you without a fight?”
“Just the same, you are coming with me,” Mario said as he hefted the blaster rifle. “I’m afraid I can’t take no for an answer.”
“Such cocky creatures you humans are. You know, you’d never make it out of the building, let alone to the spaceport,” the Brentax commander rasped. “It’s best to just give yourself up now and save yourself the agony.”
“Sure, I will,” Mario chuckled. “I’ll just go back to my boss and say, ‘Sorry. I couldn’t get him because there was no way I could get back to the spaceport without getting killed. Maybe next time.’ That won’t get me too far, Tarmos.”
“I don’t think you understand. If you try to take me from here by force, you will be dead before we leave the office,” M’Bek Tarmos chuckled. “My guards will see to that.”
“We’ll see.” Mario motioned with the blaster rifle. “If you’ll get up, I’d rather not have to stun you. You’re far too large to drag.”
“How dare you insult me like that!” M’Bek howled.
“Hey, bubba. It’s not like I’m the one who’s obviously been packing away the super-sized meals. Seriously, you know you don’t have to get the extra large fries with the burger.” Mario chuckled at his own little joke. “Now. Stand up and away from the desk.”
“I think not,” M’Bek said His hand slowly traced across the bottom edge of the top of his desk. Before it got too far, his arm flopped limp, a knife sticking out of his bicep.
“I wouldn’t try that again,” Mario said. He waggled the rifle. “Next time, you’ll get shot.”
“Do you really think you’re going to get away with this atrocity?” the Brentax commander snarled.
“How ironic that you should be complaining about atrocities, M’Bek Tarmos,” Mario sighed. “You who are responsible for the deaths of millions of Duterians. That slaughter is an atrocity. This, well, this is just a friendly conversation.”
“It will take much more than your flashy knife work to bring me in to your precious Star League, Colonel.” M’Bek Tarmos cackled.
“There’s a full squadron waiting for us at the landing pad,” Mario lied.
“That’s impossible. I know it was just you and one other that broke in here earlier.” The Brentax shook his head. “And your partner has been disposed of.”
“He’s expendable,” Mario shrugged, his face betraying no emotion whatsoever. “Now, if you please. I am in somewhat of a hurry to get out of Brentax space, if you know what I mean.”
“You don’t seem to get it,” M’Bek sighed as he stood up behind his desk. “You’re not going to make it out of Brentax space alive.”
“You wanna lay odds on that?” Mario said. “I’m a betting man. I think your associates will be less inclined to shoot me down with you on board. That wouldn’t look good on their resumes after all, being the one that shot down the Supreme Commander of the Brentax Militia. Not good for one’s career at all.” Mario clucked twice and hurried over to where M’Bek Tarmos was standing. He jabbed his blaster rifle in the man’s back. “Now move!”
“Well, since you asked so nicely,” the Brentax Commander smiled, showing off his sharp teeth. “Of course I’ll go with you.”
“And call off your guards as we go,” Mario ordered.
“Why should I?”
“Because,” Mario said as he jabbed the rifle further in the man’s back. “This rifle’s set on kill. And I don’t think I’d miss from this range.”
M’Bek Tarmos swallowed twice and started out of the office with Mario right behind him.
“You know,” the Brentax commander said. “If you kill me, there’s no way I can sign a peace treaty with your precious Star League. I assume that is the reason you’re bringing me in to the Star League, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is,” Mario admitted. “But if I don’t return with you, the Star League will assume the mission failed and we’re dead here. And if that happens, well, there’s a full contingent of Star League battleships waiting for orders to destroy Brentax III. Me, personally, I’d like to see this war end peacefully.”
There was a long pause while each man looked the other one over. Finally, M’Bek Tarmos looked away.
“Yes, well,” the Brentax commander said quietly. “Perhaps the time has come for this war to end. I will go with you peacefully, Colonel. I have no desire to see my homeworld destroyed.”
“Good. Now, please. Move.”
The two men walked down the hall. They met minimal opposition, but the guards they did run into stepped aside at their leader’s insistence.
I
t took them nearly an hour to make their way from the office, through the Brentax Militia Headquarters, and across Brentacchia to the Brentacchia Spaceport. Opposition continued to be light, and Mario began to worry slightly about the relative ease of their escape.
When they reached the shuttle, however, Mario breathed a small sigh of relief.
“I’m going to have to bind you until we get back to the White Knight,” Mario said.
“I understand. I would do no less.”
Mario set to work securing M’Bek Tarmos to his seat, then, once he was satisfied the Brentax commander wasn’t going to be going anywhere, the Star League Colonel began preflight checks.
Without waiting for launch clearance, Mario punched the launch controls. The small shuttle shot out from the spaceport into the afternoon sky, achieving orbit quickly.
A few minutes into the trip back to the White Knight, the communications array began to beep loudly, startling both the colonel and the Brentax Militia Commander.
“Star League shuttle. This is T’Marik Kodan of the Brentax Duhari class vessel Torellia Corvax. You will stand down now and land your vessel at the Brentacchia Spaceport or you will be destroyed.”
Chapter 25
2.7.2136
1528
The Crieghton
Bridge
“CAPTAIN!” the sensors officer called. “We have an incoming contact bearing 312.”
“Can you identify it?” the capain asked as he turned in his chair to face his sensors officer.
“I believe so, sir,” the woman nodded. “Silhouette confirms it a Duhari class heavy cruiser.”
“Tactical holo!” Captain Keevan ordered.
Instantly, a holographic representation of the sector appeared in the communications holosphere. It showed the Duhari class cruiser entering the Khrinnus sector at high velocity.
“Captain, they’re beginning a solon sweep,” the woman at the sensor console reported. “I estimate three minutes before they penetrate the cloak.”