by Drew Avera
But it was difficult to squelch the anger boiling within himself. He couldn't shake the image of the wicked expression on the chief's face and the elation he seemed to feel at taking another life.
He was certain it was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.
It seemed to Kevin that evil existed solely to contradict the good in the universe. And whatever faction within the Consulate hellbent on tearing it apart at the seams was the embodiment of that evil.
It must be stopped.
The men took charge of sweeping the cargo bay. Dickson took the center aisle while Kevin and Chuck kept to the outer aisles before meeting in the center before moving into the passageway leading towards the lounge. It was a narrow path and they were forced to walk in a single file. Kevin canted his head to one side in an attempt to peer over Dickson's shoulder to see what was ahead.
The passageway opened into the lounge and his heart dropped as he saw blood everywhere.
"What the?" Dickson said, his voice oozing with dread. Three of the men were still bound and tied in the corner, but one of them appeared to have escaped.
Kevin forced his way past Dickson, his weapon raised as he glared down the sights. He turned quickly until the barrel stopped, leveled at Nesbitt’s chest.
The man stood stoically, his eyes afire with defiance. But his face was pale in the areas where it wasn't covered in blood. Kevin glanced down and saw the wounds covering his arms splitting his skin with deep gashes. Blood still oozed from them, pooling on the deck below.
"Get on your knees," Dickson ordered as he stepped next to Kevin with the barrel of his gun trained on the Chief's head.
"Just shoot me," Nesbitt said as if it was the final gasp of a dying man.
"I'd love to, but I’d much rather see justice served than experiencing the temporary relief of vengeance after what you did," Kevin said indignantly. "You committed treasonous acts and targeted innocent people. Justice is a more suitable death for you than revenge," Kevin said.
"Get on your knees, Nesbitt," Dickson said once again.
This time the man listened. He collapsed onto his knees, the thud of his body hitting the deck muted by the splatter of the pooled blood beneath him. The rich smell of iron wafted under Kevin's nose and he resisted gagging, not wanting to show weakness.
"Where are my children?" Kevin asked. He was on the verge of lashing out at the man, but there was no honor in that.
Nesbitt didn't answer but instead turned his head enough to face the door leading into the bridge.
Kevin’s eyes followed the chief’s gaze and he called out to them. "Auden? Tara? Are you safe in there?" He shouted as he shifted towards the hatch.
He saw as Dickson began to restrain Nesbitt out of the corner of his eye, but his focus was elsewhere. He banged on the door as he called their names once more.
A lock disengaged from the hatch and it sprung open revealing his children standing there with tear-streaked faces.
"Dad!" Auden said as she leaped towards him, her arms spread.
He caught her in an embrace and wrapped his free arm around Tara as she approached them from the side.
"I’m so glad you're safe, where's mom?" Tara asked.
"She's outside," Kevin replied. "We wanted to make sure you two were okay before bringing her aboard."
"We wouldn’t be if Captain Dickson hadn’t told us to lock ourselves on the bridge if any of them got free. I didn't know that the bridge had a locking door," Auden said.
Kevin turned his head towards Dickson and nodded thankfully, "It looks like I owe you another one," he said.
"I’ll cash in on it one day, but not today. I'm just honored that I was right about you and that your family is safe," Dickson said.
Kevin nodded, choking back tears. "Me too."
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Dickson groaned as he rose from securing Nesbitt's hands behind his back. He glanced over to Kevin and his children and smiled. He was proud that he was able to make that moment happen despite the odds against them.
"I’m going to go out and retrieve the others," he said to Chuck. The Grotan man nodded as he stood over the bloodied chief and guarded the Hoyt family.
Dickson made his way out of the ship and moved towards the cargo ramp, his eyes down as he watched his footing around the bloodied spot on the ramp. A piercing ring sounded, and an impact sent him collapsing to the deck. The jarring sensation was like being kicked by a mule and a moment later he lost all sensation in his left arm. Though, the wound in his shoulder burned like the fires of Hell.
He groaned as his eyes searched the darkness for where the shot originated from. His eyes fell upon Harrison's body as he lay in the glassy sand. Light glinted off his lifeless eyes and the scene sent a wave of nausea over the captain.
He moved to pull his gun from the holster, but whatever had numbed his left hand had also weakened the rest of his body. "Who's there?" he asked, but his voice hardly projected at all.
From the darkness, Admiral Hardak stepped into the light with a sinister grin stretched across his face. "As a tactician of war, I underestimated you. When I saw you on my ship, living, breathing, and fighting for your cause, I knew that I needed to remove myself to stop you. Human nature is easily manipulated. I knew that the hope inside of you would build, and you would take action to bring us back to this point, back to where you should've died the first time." Hardak stood over the collapsed captain and leveled his weapon at Dickson’s head. "I won’t underestimate you again. When I'm done, there will be no coming back."
Dickson sucked in a breath and anticipated the shot. He almost welcomed it as the fire burning through his torso agonized him.
He watched as the Admiral’s eyes narrowed into slits and he took aim. "Goodbye, Captain."
Dickson calculated to the exact moment the trigger should've pulled, sending a round into his forehead. Instead, a clatter stirred behind him, drawing the admiral's attention away for a split second.
A dark-clad body leaped over Dickson's form, catapulting himself at Admiral Hardak's large frame and sending the man tumbling down the ramp.
Weakness overwhelmed Dickson, but he tried desperately to look up at the chaos to see what was happening. The best he could do was turn his head and strain to look at the madness through one eye as the other was blocked by his torso.
Dickson saw movement on the far the side of the ramp and trepidation washed over him. He was relieved to recognize Sarah and Nata quickly ascending the ramp. They kept looking behind them at the two people wrestling at the bottom of the ramp as they made their way to him.
"Take his other arm," Sarah said as she took hold of his wrist.
Nata took his left arm, the one he thought was numb, but the movement agitated the nerves and sent jolts of pain from his neck down to his fingertips with such intensity that he thought he might burst into flame.
The two women worked together and pulled him up the cargo ramp. The further they went, the more his line of sight changed, and he saw that Chuck was the one who came to his rescue. The Grotan man flailed and his heavy fists landed strike after strike on the admiral's head. Dickson felt a sense of relief to see Hardak was overtaken, but it was short-lived as the admiral grabbed hold of Chuck's shoulders and flung his head into Chuck's face with a nauseating blow.
Chuck collapsed to the glassy sand and Hardak growled with rage.
"I will not be overtaken by these bottom feeders," he snarled as he stomped towards the cargo ramp.
Dickson stared fearfully as he approached. The sound of Sarah calling for Kevin was muted by the heavy pounding of his heart.
They were running out of time.
He was running out of time.
Hardak stopped walking long enough to reach down and pick up his weapon. He chambered a round and his lips curled with satisfaction as he resumed his mission. "Where were we?" The question lingered over Dickson like the ring of a funeral bell.
But at the moment the ship’s drive came
to life and the Interceptor began lifting off the ground. Whoever was flying had to fight to stabilize the ship and the cargo ramp shifted violently.
Hardak tipped over and fired a wild shot, missing his target and instead it ricocheted off the overhead inside the cargo bay. Dickson kicked his feet as he tried to get away from the closing cargo bay door as it moved to close automatically.
But Hardak was on his feet again and fired a series of rounds, each one deflecting off the inner hull of the ship. Hardak’s lips were moving but if he said anything, Dickson couldn’t make it out over the sound of the roaring engines.
Realization struck him as he turned to Sarah, "We have to save Chuck" he spat.
"We have to get away from here before it's too late," Sarah replied.
"No!"
Dickson forced himself to his feet, ignoring the burning sensation coursing through his body. He had the rest of his life to save him, and he wasn’t about to let the man die unnecessarily. He punched the cargo ramp switch and forced it to open as he unholstered his weapon. It took every ounce of strength he had to hold the weapon. His vision grew blurry, likely due to the loss of blood, or the fact that he was going to shock. Either way, all definition of what he was looking at went away, and he had to give everything he had left to save the man who put his life on the line to save him.
The ramp lowered and Admiral Hardak’s massive body came into view. Dickson took the first shot, narrowly missing the admiral as the double vision began setting in on his already blurred sight. He thought about firing again until he saw Chuck laying on the ground behind Hardak. He was just as likely to kill Chuck with a rogue shot than Hardak would've killed him if they escaped.
He couldn’t take the shot. How could he live with himself?
"Do you need a little help?"
Dickson turned to see Kevin standing next to him with a rifle in his hands. Kevin began descending the ramp, aiming with the large weapon. Dickson watched as fear washed over Hardak’s face as the admiral turned to run, but instead tripped over Chuck's unconscious body.
The Heshian traitor to the Consulate scrambled to his feet and Dickson watched as Kevin patiently timed his steps, waiting for the admiral to get far enough away from Chuck to not pose a risk to him.
Finally, the shot erupted from the barrel and Dickson watched expectantly as the admiral fell facedown to the glassy sand. He expected to see the blood rush forth from his body, but he soon discovered it wasn’t a bullet that left the gun but a net. Kevin had fired a trap round and the netting material had wrapped itself around Hardak’s body and clamped him down securely.
"You didn’t kill him," Dickson said under his breath.
"I would have, but then I would've been just like him," Kevin said as he walked over to the bulkhead and punched the comm switch. "Set her down, Auden. It's over now."
"Roger that, dad," the girl replied."
"You let her fly before?” Dickson asked as he lowered himself to the deck, exhausted from the exertion and the blood loss.
"Don't tell the command, but I’ve taken her flying a time or two," Kevin replied with a grin as the ship slowly sat down onto the ground and the drive whirred to a stop.
Dickson collapsed onto the deck and braced himself against the frame of the cargo ramp as Kevin descended the ramp to retrieve Chuck. The Grotan man was conscious now and staggered to his feet. His eyes were blackened from the blow he received from Admiral Hardak and Dickson sighed with relief because he knew how much worse it could have been.
Despite his injury, Chuck assisted Kevin and dragged Hardak towards the Interceptor. The Heshian grumbled and spat a slur of expletives towards Dickson but they were only the frivolous shouts of a man who realized he had just lost everything.
“Captain, can we help you to the lounge?" Sarah asked as she knelt next to him. He wanted to get up on his own power, but his body ached, and his head was swimming. He reluctantly agreed and Sarah and Nata wrapped his arms around their necks and lifted him to his feet.
Searing pain shot down his extremities and he winced, fighting to hold the sound in and keep it from emanating from his lips. It was easier said than done, but the women didn’t seem to judge him for it.
Admiral Hardak looked up as he was being dragged away. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," he spat.
Normally, the kind of talk would've gotten under Dickson's skin, but he felt so fortunate to still be breathing that he let the admiral’s madness fall on deaf ears. Instead, he decided that he would focus his attention on filing the report dictating what had transpired. It was a convoluted mess, but considering the intended victims were still alive, he was certain that the charges would stick, and the Consulate would put Hardak and his men away for a very long time.
"Wait," he said under his breath.
"What?" Sarah asked, losing her grip on him as he forced himself to turn around to face the cargo bay.
"Harrison is still out there. He might be dead, but we can’t just leave him there," he said.
Through sheer willpower, Dickson turned and moved towards the exit to retrieve Harrison. Nata and Sarah followed, telling him that they could get the lieutenant, but he was too stubborn to listen. This was his subordinate. He was in charge of this man’s wellbeing and he had failed him.
Dickson fell to his knees next to the man and gingerly placed his fingers against the lieutenant’s jugular, praying that he would find a pulse. His eyes widened. "It's weak, but he’s still breathing," he exclaimed.
"We'll take care of him," Nata said as she bent down and placed a hand on the lieutenant’s head.
Dickson glanced up and stared at her pleadingly. "Can you do for him what you did for me?"
Nata shrugged. "I don't think I have the strength, but I can try."
"Please do," Dickson pleaded as the dizziness overwhelmed him. His vision tunneled again, and he glanced down at his wound as it continued to spill his blood. He knew that he might bleed out on this godforsaken planet, but if he could save Harrison, then he would happily accept his fate.
"I don't know how much longer I can hold on," Dickson replied, not certain if he was talking to them, or exasperating the revelation he had for himself. Either way, he began to lose his focus on the world, and everything descended into inky, black shadows.
Epilogue
Three months later
Auden stared down at her tablet and smiled.
"What are you so happy about?" Kevin asked as he set another box onto the floor of his new office on Valara. Life had changed much since they were on the run and uncovered a Heshian conspiracy to bring down the Consulate.
Commander Hoyt went from being a scout ship pilot to taking a command staff position at Consulate Headquarters. The good news was that he would be home more, but Auden suspected that he was going to miss flying despite their experiences throughout the last few months.
"I received a message from the Academy," Auden said.
That got his attention. "Really, what does the illustrious Academy have to say to my daughter on the eve of her graduation?" He asked, unable to hide his pride from his tone.
"They accepted my application," she answered. "I'm sure that Captain Dickson's recommendation went a long way to help, but I hope that they made the right decision."
Kevin nodded and stifled a chuckle. He knew she was proud, as was he, but he noticed a tinge of self-doubt in her voice. He didn’t think she had any reason for concern, but there was no way she would accept him saying as much. He was “dad” after all.
Life was all about change, though, and it was her time to experience the world in the eyes of an adult; warts and all. She had already grown up so much since they initially fled Valara. That was just one of the many things that changed over the past months.
The military tribunal that followed was a mudslinging contest with the likes of which he had never seen before. Thankfully, there were good men in high places who could provide evidence supporting the claim that Admiral Hardak and doz
ens of accomplices had set things in a motion to funnel finances, information, and weapons to the Heshian uprising.
In the end, the truth prevailed. It was treason and it was dealt with properly.
"I'm sure his recommendation sat well with the Academy. After all, every time I see his name mentioned it’s accompanied by the word hero. I just hope that he hasn't let it get to his head," Kevin joked.
"Don't be ridiculous, Kevin," Dickson said as he walked into the commander’s new office. Kevin popped to attention to greet the ranking officer, and Auden followed suit, rendering respect despite not yet being sworn into the Consulate. "Carry-on, I see that you’re getting her started early on military customs," Dickson said with a smirk.
"I’m sure you would agree that I went about her training backward. Perhaps the customs and traditions should've come before pilot training?" Kevin replied sarcastically.
"I’ll forgive that, given the circumstances. Besides, how can I fault you for deciding to train your daughter in piloting when those skills saved our lives?"
Commander Hoyt stepped over to the corner of the room and opened a Valaran globe to reveal a decanter of whiskey and two glasses. "You can't," he replied as he poured two shots. "Just as you can't blame me for having the best whiskey on Karnak sent to me by our friend Chuck," he said as he raised his glass.
Dickson accepted the drink and they clinked the glasses together as a show of respect for the Grotan man who'd come to their defense. "I have to say, I was surprised by his willingness to help us, especially given the circumstances. The Consulate actions of decades past were responsible for taking the lives of his family members," Dickson said after pulling back the glass and swallowing the whiskey.
Kevin nodded and took a shot, making a face as the alcohol burned down his throat. "I felt the same way. I guess if there is something universal about being a parent it’s that you want to do things to ensure that other parents don't experience the same loss that you did."