by Lee Watts
"Fine. I'm sure we can come up with some way to get your people out. Now, what ship?"
"It was called the Neovenator."
"Neovenator?" Merrick repeated in curiosity as he unsnapped the large pocket at the thigh of his uniform. Pulling out a small datapad he input the ship's name, and a file came up. "That's Koraden's personal ship. He probably activated the portal right away. How long have you been here?"
"Just over three weeks, but I don't remember exactly. Why?"
"Because it takes twenty-seven days and eighteen hours to form a stable portal. After that, the legions can come through. We've got to stop it."
"Hold on there a second, Hero. I didn't say anything about going to take over some Ramillie capital ship. I promised I'd tell you where that portal thing is at, and you said you'd help me get my people out of here."
"The fate of all humanity is at stake!"
"Here's the thing, saving humanity doesn't usually pay that well."
"How can you think about money at a time like this?!"
"It's amazing, but no matter how busy my day is, I can always find time to think about money."
"Okay, you search for mythical things, right? If you help me take over the ship, I'll tell you how to find Gan."
"Gan?" Sosimo echoed in amazement. "The birthplace of all of humanity? How could you know where it is?"
"Because I've been there."
Sosimo gave a chuckle.
"Mister, I've told some whoppers in my time but if you think I'm gonna believe..."
Sosimo's voice trailed off as he noticed Merrick's eyes begin to glow and increase in intensity till they became brilliant spheres of pure white light then slowly faded back to normal.
"Because I was there," the Guardian repeated. "By the way, you're a lot like your ancestor Gareth."
"Gareth? My father told me it was a family secret that he was the last of the Vault Keepers. How do you know… never mind. You've got a deal."
"Great, now we've got to find a way to get to the docking station."
"No, the first thing we have to do is find some way to get my crew free. We'll have to get the registry of all the inmates and figure out which cells have my people. Oh, and I want to find one other fella too. I promised to kill him. I've got to get around to that. It might take us a few hours to come up with a workable plan, but-"
"We may not have a few hours," Merrick insisted. "Every minute could make the difference. We're going to have to come up with something fast."
Raising a finger of his artificial hand, Sosimo smiled and with a gleam in his eyes employed his oft-used saying, "I have a plan. Follow me."
Helmet back on, Merrick walked behind Sosimo, giving the impression he was escorting the prisoner down the hall.
"Here," the pirate whispered and they came to a halt. Sosimo then reached up and pulled the fire alarm.
"THAT'S YOUR PLAN?" Merrick exclaimed from within his helmet.
"Simple yet effective," Sosimo answered with a broad smile.
"They will scan the area in a second and find out there is no fire."
Quickly Sosimo's smile faded.
"Hadn't thought of that," he groused. "Here, I'll fix it," he added then tapped a portion of his mechanical arm causing a small nozzle to extend upward. He then sprayed fire over the wall causing it to ignite. "Problem solved. Let's go."
On their way to the control station of the prison, Sosimo kept causing little fires to pop up seemingly everywhere. By the time they reached their goal, the penitentiary was indeed on fire, and it was out of control. Merrick quickly downed the guards then the two fugitives deactivated the forcefields. Prisoners and guards ran in all directions as the fire spread and building filled with dark smoke. Typically, the fire suppression system would have extinguished the flames, but Sosimo had disabled it as well.
Reaching the courtyard, Sosimo searched for his crew among the frenzied mob of guards and escaping prisoners while Merrick went to secure transportation off of the planet. In a few minutes, all of Sosimo's crew had assembled, except one.
"Now, all we have to do is find Byron," Sosimo commented.
"He could be anywhere," Mei shouted over the sounds of the flames and crowd. "We've got to get out of here quick before reinforcements arrive! Where could he be?!"
Sosimo thought for a moment then it came to him, and his shoulders slumped in the realization of the answer.
"He's back in our cell," Sosimo realized. "He said he'd wait for me there."
"Dumb as a rock," Mei griped.
"I'll get him," Sosimo said with a grimace. "Here Mei, I got some radios. Take this. Jaiden, you’re with me, the rest of you head for the landing pad. I've made a friend who's getting us a ride. Set to frequency forty-three. I'll radio soon as we have Byron." With that Sosimo and Jaiden went back into the blazing prison complex.
After some effort, they found him and made their way back out. As the fire ravaged the building, they were unable to get out the way they came and wound up exiting the complex on the far side of the landing pad.
"CAPTAIN, CAPTAIN, COME IN," came Mei's voice over the radio.
"I read you, Mei. Go ahead."
"There are reinforcements coming in from all over the place, we've got to leave now. What's your status?!"
"We're out, but we're on the far side of the building from you. Take off; we'll rendezvous at the docking station where the Fortune's at."
"Copy that. Good luck, Captain," Mei replied. She didn't bother to ask how Sosimo intended to get off of the planet as she was sure he had no idea himself. However, she was just as sure that somehow, he would do it. Using one of the prison shuttles, Merrick piloted the group toward the orbiting docking station where several ships were berthed, including the Fortune and Fame.
"Those are only impounded ships," Merrick noted in puzzlement as he looked at the ships tethered to the station. "Where's the Neovenator?" he questioned as he typed a query into the ship's computer. In a moment the answer came up on the sensor screen - Classified. "We'll have to go back to the surface to hack into one of the command centers to find out where it is. Changing course."
"WHAT?" Mei blurted. "But the Fortune is on that station," she emphasized while pointing directly behind them. "We're not going back to the planet. We just escaped from there... twice."
"Your captain promised to help me take over the Neovenator if I gave him some information."
"I don't know what deal you may have struck with the captain, but when he's gone, I'm in charge of this crew, and my job is to get them to the Fortune." She then drew the pistol she'd acquired from one of the guards on their way out of the prison. "Turn this ship back around."
Merrick stared at the woman and could instantly tell this was not a point she was willing to negotiate. Without an option, Merrick vectored the ship back towards the docking station. They linked up, and Mei and the other pirates disembarked. As soon as they were off of the shuttle, Merrick disengaged the boarding tube and set course back for Kohath.
"What now?" one of the crew asked Mei.
"We wait for the captain."
"You're going to have a long wait," came an oily and all-too-familiar voice.
"Crimson," Mei grumbled as she turned around to see her nemesis and his crew. "You made it."
"Of course, I did, Mei. I'm a survivor, unlike your father."
With lightning speed, she drew her pistol.
"Mei, if you shoot then the energy discharge will show up on the station's sensors, and we'll all be caught."
She knew he was right, and while the thought chaffed her, she didn't lower her weapon.
"What's it going to be, Mei? Kill me and die in a Ramillie prison or watch me walk away... again?"
He fully expected her to lower her pistol in frustration but after several seconds. The woman with green, unblinking eyes boring into him still held her arm out and finger on the trigger.
"Come on, Mei," Crimson repeated but with far less bravado in his voice. "If you shoot
you may kill me, but you'll be captured. It's not worth it... is it?"
"I'm thinking it over," she answered with an unwavering aim. No one from either crew dared move or say another word and several long, tense seconds passed. With a huff, Mei lowered her arm. "I'm still going to kill you one day, Crimson."
"Yea, that's what LaRouche keeps saying, but he can't seem to keep his promises either. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to retake my ship."
With that he swaggered off, his crew following.
"Come on," she said to her crew as she holstered the pistol. Let's head to the Fortune."
"What about the captain?" asked a crewman.
"He'll get here somehow. Let's go."
Both crews found it reasonably simple to make their way through the impound station because it ran on a skeleton crew as nothing hardly ever happened there. As Mei was trying to hack her way passed the lockouts barring access to the passage tube, Sosimo, Jaiden and Byron came walking up. Mei and the rest of the crew smelled them before they saw them. When the trio rounded the corner and came into sight, Mei and the others noticed the captain and others with him had clothes that were soaked from sewage.
"Don't ask," Sosimo said then added, "... ever."
"Okay," Mei answered and went back to work on opening the passage.
"Is something wrong, Mei?" Jaiden asked. "You usually bypass systems like that in a flash."
"It's not just bypassing the lock," she explained. "I have to do it in such a way as to not set off the station's security system. I'll get it, just give me a minute."
With some legerdemain, Mei managed to open the passage tube to the Fortune without tripping any alarms.
"There," Mei announced in satisfaction. "Told you I could do it."
Before she could draw another breath, alarms started blaring around the station.
"Way to go, Mei," Byron sneered.
Mei looked to the display screen on the wall to find out what happened.
"It wasn't me. Looks like Crimson's goons set it off."
"Crimson," Sosimo snarled the man's name being perturbed at the mere mention of the traitor. "He's here?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"Good," Mei asked in surprise. "How is that good?"
"Because now it will be easier to find and shoot him, that's how. Let's go."
With that, the crew hurried through the passage tube and went to their stations.
"Ah, home again," Sosimo breathed as he entered the command center with the rest of the bridge crew. "No reason to be subtle anymore. Mei, power all systems. Byron, get me a report on our status. Jaiden, get us out of here."
"Captain," Jaiden called out in concern as he noticed a readout. "We're still tethered to the station's moorings."
"Not for long," Sosimo told him. "Ahead full!"
"Aye," Jaiden acknowledged and punched up the engines to the max.
There was the sound of groaning metal, followed by several loud pops then the ship lurched ahead.
"We're free," Jaiden announced. "What heading, Captain?"
Taking his command chair, Sosimo quickly called up a map of the local area.
"Set course one-one-seven by two-three-nine, best sublight speed."
"Aye," answered Jaiden.
"Byron, report," Sosimo instructed.
"Shields at eighty percent, weapons are-"
"I'm not concerned about the weapons. How's the stealth system?"
"Checking," Byron said as he quickly reviewed his monitor. "Off line."
"Mei," was all Sosimo had to say.
"On it," the ship's first mate replied as she hurried from her station to the engine room.
"Cap'n," Byron called out in alarm. "Detecting two Ramillie cruisers from port on an intercept course."
"Blast, we've got to give Mei some time. Jaiden... change course. I want you to head away from the cruisers in a wide arc. Then keeping making course corrections that eventually puts us on a reverse course to our current heading."
"But that takes us back to the planet. Isn't that the last thing we should do?"
"Exactly," Sosimo agreed without bothering to explain.
With a shake of his head Jaiden simply replied with, "Coming about," and the ship veered back toward Kohath.
"How long till intercept?" the captain asked.
"They're coming in from our side, Cap'n. I'd say eight minutes."
"How long until we reach the planet?"
"About six minutes."
"Mr. Suchet, reduce speed twenty percent," Sosimo ordered.
"But isn't reducing speed exactly- never mind. Reducing speed."
"Byron, I'm going to need all shield power diverted to the aft."
"Won't they be shooting at our side and front too?" Jaiden asked.
"They're only going to fire once then they'll stop," the captain answered.
Jaiden had no idea how Sosimo was going to stop the Ramillie from shooting at them but figured the captain had something in mind.
"One of the ships is breaking away," Byron reported. "They're going after the Fame."
"Oh no," Sosimo lamented.
"What's wrong, Captain?" Jaiden asked.
"I wanted to kill Crimson myself," he pouted. "Mr. Suchet, I have two orders for you. One, on my mark I want you to spin the Fortune around where we are directly facing the Ramillie ship and then cut all engine power to zero. Two, soon as that's done set a heading of one-one-seven by two-three-nine and stand by to engage at maximum lightdrive acceleration capacity."
"Aye, Captain," the young man replied and began making preparations to carry out the odd orders.
Keying the intercom Sosimo asked, "How's it going down there, Mei?"
"LITTLE BUSY RIGHT NOW," came the answer.
Quickly releasing the intercom switch, Sosimo replied with mocked indignation, "How rude."
Time passed quickly as the Ramillie ship raced closer and Mei franticly worked to get the stealth system operational.
As the planet grew large in the main viewer, Byron reported, "The Ramillie are entering firing range."
Sosimo turned his attention to his helmsman.
"Are we set, Mr. Suchet?"
"Standing by, Captain."
Leaning back in his chair, Sosimo began drumming his real and artificial fingertips together.
"The stage is set and props in place. Now, we just wait for the Ramillie to start the show."
"Cap'n, they're charging weapons."
"Curtain going up," Sosimo announced calmly.
"They're firing!"
"Showtime," the captain whispered with a broad smile.
Everyone on the bridge lurched as the Fortune took the full impact of the blast.
"Part one now, Mr. Suchet!"
Deftly, Jaiden activated the maneuvering thrusters and quickly spun the ship one hundred and eighty degrees till it was facing the cruiser then cut all engine thrust. This started the pirate ship in freefall toward the planet's surface with the rear of the ship leading the way.
"Captain, we're entering the atmosphere," Jaiden called out.
"Excellent," Sosimo replied. "Use the thrusters to keep our nose at them."
"Aye," Jaiden replied in a near shout to be heard over the roar of the chaffing thermosphere. Seconds seemed to pass as an eternity to Jaiden as the Fortune plummeted through the air and the Ramillie ship ceased firing.
"What are they doing?" Jaiden asked.
"They think their shot knocked out our main engines and we are in freefall."
"We are in freefall!"
"Makes it all the more convincing doesn't it," Sosimo said with a smile. "They can't fire again because if they blow us up, it will rain down debris all over the city below and cause tons of damage so what's their only option?"
Jaiden thought about it for a moment.
"To pull us up."
"Excellent, Mr. Suchet."
As soon as he said that a tractor beam locked on to the falling pirate vessel.
&nb
sp; "It's no good," Byron realized as he checked his display. "We've got too much weight and momentum.
"Perfect."
Jaiden could stand not knowing why continuing to fall was a good thing.
"Why is that good?" he asked.
LaRouche delighted in explaining.
"Because, My Young Friend, the Ramillie will now divert their ship's entire power supply to the tractor beam to try to keep us from smashing into their city. What happens when two people pull hard as they can on a rope and all of a sudden one person lets go?"
"The other person falls down," Jaiden replied.
"Precisely, and when we suddenly jump to lightspeed what's going to happen?"
Jaiden spoke slowly as he was reasoning the answer out as he vocalized it.
"The tractor beam will overload with the sudden lack of a resisting force, and since all power was routed to it, it will blow every system on the ship."
"Time for our big scene," Sosimo quipped. "Mr. Suchet ready act two, and... punch it."
With a flash of brilliant light, the three main engines of the Fortune flared to sudden life, and in an instant, the ship leaped to lightspeed. As predicted, the Ramillie cruiser experienced an abrupt, extreme power surge and fried all their components at once.
After a few seconds, Mei's voice call came in over the intercom.
"If you're done playing yo-yo with the ship, stealth mode is now online."
"You're timing is impeccable, Mei," Sosimo complimented. "I'll tell Jaiden to take back all those nasty things he said about you. Engage stealth mode." Releasing the intercom switch, Sosimo leaned back in his chair and added in satisfaction, "Exit stage right and curtain."
As the pirate craft deployed its camouflage, it became invisible on sensors, and while at lightspeed, couldn't be detected by the naked eye either. Using this advantage, the Fortune quietly slipped passed the Ramillie patrol ships and used the main hyperspace portal to exit The Cloud. Getting the Fame's cloaking device operational, Crimson was able to also sneak his ship passed the patrols and secretly followed LaRouche back to the Por Tabello system where he intended to destroy the Fortune and her captain once and for all.
CHAPTER 25
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." – Romans 5:8