The Apex Warriors

by Marc Stevens

  Coonts identified the contacts. “Commander, those are Galactic Union warships.”

  “Roger that. Continue our approach.”

  “They just pinged us, Commander. Our transponder will identify us as Chaalt,” Coonts said.

  I used my implants to open an IST channel to Bond. “Bond, what can you tell me about the Galactic Union warships in orbit around the outpost?”

  Bond immediately replied to my hail. “Commander Myers, it is good to hear from you. As you know, the Galactic Union had a few personnel at their small garrison on the outpost. The building the garrison occupied was damaged in the terrorist attack. They brought in a construction crew to make repairs and upgrades. The Union staff members reported the attack and sent their findings to this sector’s high command. The Galactic Union sent a team here to do an independent investigation and to look into Bonaparte’s actions leading up to the attack.”

  “They will have a hard time doing that now that Bonaparte is at Venture.”

  Bond was silent for almost a minute. “No Commander, I thought you were aware that Bonaparte is back on the outpost. It is my understanding that Sushi and Pasta run all operations at Venture.”

  Apparently, a lot of things have happened while we were between galaxies. I needed to get an info dump from Tam Lin but it would have to wait. “Have you spoke with Bonaparte before the Union’s arrival?”

  “Yes, Commander. We have a very good working relationship. I made it known after taking my new position, that I would aid him in any way possible, as I have to all the leaders of their respective guilds. I personally made fifty billion credits available to him for rebuilding his garrison and restoring the communities surrounding it. He is quite popular among the surviving civilian population.”

  “What are your thoughts on the Galactic Union’s intentions for coming here, aside from doing their own investigation?”

  “Commander, both Bonaparte and I believe his investigation should have been accepted as is. The attack was written up as a vendetta against the Sig. Bonaparte fully supported that theory for the purpose of the investigation. It fit right in with removing the large number of Sig troops that once occupied the outpost. We believe the Galactic Union representatives are pursuing other motives for the attack. Bonaparte has some allies in the Galactic Union high command. What I mean by that, is he pays certain Union members to inform him when activities related to the outpost are discussed. In this case, there is a rumor that somebody on the Galactic Council wants Bonaparte gone.”

  “It is hard for me to believe the Council can arbitrarily tell a Sig general to leave the outpost. Especially since it is such a rarity for a Sig to be so popular among the civilian population. Do you think they can have him removed?”

  “Commander, from what you know of the Galactic Council, what do you think is behind this visit?”

  “Good point. I think they would like nothing better than to get rid of Bonaparte and install a proxy of their own choosing in his place. What exactly are they investigating?”

  “It is anybody's guess Commander. There are several Union operatives on the outpost and I am to be interviewed within the hour. I strongly suspect they will try to establish my loyalties.”

  “What are you going to tell them?”

  “I will tell them I am here to capitalize on my investment in the outpost, and that Bonaparte has welcomed my aid in the restoration process.”

  “Aren’t you a little worried they will want to know your background and where you came from?”

  “Commander Myers, that will be the easiest part to explain. A variation of the truth will suffice.”

  “By variation, you mean not telling them you were the former warlord of a black market outpost.”

  Bond cleared his throat. “No Commander, they will not get that much of the truth. What they will get, is that I fled the outpost along with a large number of my species, after learning the Murlaks killed the Coram warlord and were forcefully taking over. They will of course know that Enochey was the warlord and since he no longer exists, they will not know anything other than my cover story and new ID chip number.”

  As long as Bond thought his story was a good cover, who was I to question it. “Okay, what do you think they will want from you specifically?”

  “What the Galactic Union always strives for, control. They will offer me a bribe to see things their way, which they most assuredly will. I will act shocked and dismayed. They will increase the sum of the bribe, and I will tell them I need time to consider what they offer. They will come back with a final offer, then the threats will begin after that. It is how such things happen all the time.”

  “Where is your interview taking place?”

  “I offered to have a luncheon planned at Harrah’s for the meeting. They refused and insisted it take place on one of their shuttles. They will not be foolhardy enough to let themselves be recorded while trying to bribe me. I will be scanned for devices, which leads me to another question. Can they detect your IST implant?”

  Coonts answered that question for me. “Bond this is Coonts. Our IST is not detectable by its emanations. Unless the Galactic Union representative has Coram brain scans they can use to make comparisons, the diminutive abnormality of the IST will go unnoticed.”

  “Thank you, Engineer Coonts. It was my only valid fear.”

  I had another more pressing question I needed an answer to. “Bond, what are your thoughts on the clandestine operations taking place on the outpost?”

  “Commander, Bonaparte and I have discussed this at length. We believe the events that are taking place and the appearance of the Galactic Union are somehow tied together. Bonaparte believes another attack will take place that will discredit him for not uncovering the plot before it happens. It will be the grounds for his removal.”

  What Bond was saying made a lot of sense. If the attack took place while the Union representatives were on the outpost, they could easily blame Bonaparte for his inaction.

  “Do you have any idea what the target of an attack might be?”

  “Negative Commander. I have tightened security around Harrah’s significantly since the intel came to light. Bonaparte has done the same around the new garrison the Sig have built to replace the one destroyed in the attack. Because we are now understaffed, we are stretching our resources thin. It is always a possibility they can breach our security, but I am hoping now that you are here, we can put a stop to whatever it is they are planning. I am going to upload everything we have on the location the operation is taking place in.”

  Tria tapped Klutch on the shoulder and he got out of the pilot's seat. Tria called the commercial docking tower and got clearance to land. She was questioned on her intentions upon arrival, and she informed the tower she needed perishable supplies.

  I called Bond back and informed him we were not traveling in the Legacy. I told him to create a resupply order and send the supplies to the dock when our Chaalt shuttle landed. He confirmed my request and signed off so he could prepare for his meeting with the Galactic Union representatives. Tria pulled up the intel up on her console. We looked at it carefully trying to decide if there was some pattern to it. After several minutes of review, we decided the comings and goings were random and that was the intention of the suspects. We would have to take up our own surveillance and see if we could follow one of the targets to find out where they were going.

  When Tria was on final approach to the landing zone we were directed to dock seventy-two. It was nestled between two medium-sized freighters. We were informed that an inspection team was on the way from outpost security. There would be a cursory search for illegal contraband. Bond assured us the inspection team was composed of his chosen assets. We armored up and cloaked. Tria opened the hatch and dropped the cargo ramp. We boosted out as the inspection team approached from the warehouse buildings. We landed on a nearby roof and watched to see if anyone was alarmed by the unoccupied shuttle. To our relief, the inspection team was made up of three Sig
and an Ilor. They went into the back of the shuttle. The shuttle had several video sensors that recorded activity in the cargo hold. I transferred the feed to my HUD. The inspection team glanced around and then sat on the deck. I smiled when they pulled rations from their packs and started eating. We gave the area around our shuttle close scrutiny. It was a busy place and no one appeared to be watching.

  “Klutch, take us to the heat draft tubes.”

  Klutch boosted low off the rooftop and we made a slow approach to the shipping container storage lots. When we about five hundred yards from the heat draft tubes that stuck prominently up from the outpost machinery complex, Klutch suddenly nosed over and landed between two stacks of containers.

  He went prone and called to me as we did the same. “Commander the aerial view we received in our data dump did not show the field of view and how high the heat ducts extend above the container lot.”

  After a few seconds of staring at the towers and the surrounding lot stacked full of containers, I knew why the Troop Master stopped. “I don’t like it either. The draft tubes have a commanding view of the entire lot. I would either station a surveillance team there or would avoid the lot entirely.”

  Tria gave us her thoughts on what she was seeing. “Whoever they are, they wanted to be seen. They knew the Ilor was sleeping in the tower and wanted to see if they could trigger a response.”

  Coonts was in his normal rear guard position. He did not like what he was hearing any better than I did. “Commander, we should move in case they are monitoring all the logical vantage points.”

  Coonts had a good point. It's what I would do. “Let’s move Troop Master.”

  Klutch boosted low and slow. We followed closely as he weaved in and out of the containers. We were using our passive scanners trying to pick up anything out of the ordinary. We got nothing. Klutch landed us just to the rear of a building outside of the twenty-foot tall security fence that surrounded the lot. Tria and Coonts went to both corners of the structure and called an all-clear. This part of the outpost was pretty decrepit looking and would be an ideal place for covert operations.

  “What are you thinking Klutch?”

  “Commander the container lot is roughly rectangle. We should split up and monitor all four sides. If the suspects want to be seen, one of us should get eyes on them sooner or later.”

  I hated waiting games but knew it would be our best chance at making contact. I looked to my right and saw an apartment-style complex near one of the entrances to the lot. It had power generators on its roof. It would be a good spot to lay up and watch the border fence.

  I pointed at the location. “Okay Klutch, I have a spot picked out, you can delegate the rest.”

  He gave me a thumbs up and I boosted toward the rooftop. I chose the power plant nearest the edge of the roof and cuddled up next to it. I saw my strike team in my HUD. They dispersed and took lookout spots on each side of the yard.

  About twenty minutes had passed and I was just getting settled in when Tria called out a contact. “I have a Murlak on a container picker. He is moving in Coonts's direction.”

  Coonts acknowledged the movement. “I have him.”

  There were quite a few Murlaks on the outpost, and I had plenty of reasons to suspect them all of being up to no good. I tried to put my preconceptions aside and just focus on the job at hand. This guy was probably just trying to make a living.

  Fifteen minutes passed and Coonts called back. “He picked up a container and is headed back toward the docks.”

  A few minutes later Tria commed us and said the Murlak left the yard with his cargo. My suspicions were unwarranted. The Murlak was just some Joe Schmoe doing his job. Another thirty minutes past and I was getting antsy. I was thinking we may have to go to the top of the heat duct after all, if we wanted to shake something loose when Klutch called out a contact.

  “Commander, I have two members of my race moving down the path just outside of the perimeter fence. They came from the warehouse district we were in earlier.”

  There was a well-used pathway that paralleled the container complex on all sides. These guys might just work there as well. “Roger that,” I commed back.

  A few more minutes passed, and I was going to call for a sitrep but the Troop Master called out another alert. “Commander they just moved some debris and entered the yard through a breach in the fence.”

  Bingo, it was about time something happened. I had already pissed in my suit liner, and even though crapping in it was a non-event, I still hated doing it.

  “Everybody stay sharp. They have to have others watching their backs.” I called.

  I’m sure my strike team knew that, but I was bored stiff and hoping to get some results. I glanced back at the heat duct and something caught my eye. I could have sworn I saw movement. I didn’t have a great angle on the duct. My view was limited because of the power generator.

  “Coonts,” I called. “Put eyes on the heat duct and give me a scan of the support framework about ten feet below the duct.”

  “Roger that Commander. Wait one.”

  I had to wait for more than one, but Coonts suddenly called out over our comms. “Contact, I have a cloaked suspect descending from the heat duct framework.”

  “Tria, you and Coonts keep eyes on the cloaked target, I am going to back up Klutch.”

  I got three acknowledgments. I hit my gravity drives and made a sweeping turn that took me out over the old warehouse district. I made a hard turn and moved up behind Klutch who was waiting for me to join up with him. We slowed our pace and kept low. We only had intermitted views of our targets, but they were not trying too hard to stay hidden. Before we could make it to the spot where the marks were being placed on the containers, I got a pop-up target. It was another cloaked suspect. The new target was prone in between two containers that were stacked close together but just wide enough for a hide.

  “Klutch, stay on your targets, I am going to keep eyes on the cloaked suspect.”

  Things were happening fast and we needed to stay stealthy and not break cover. To make matters worse, Tria called out another cloaked target. The subject was in a hide very close to the signal drop. She was going to keep the new pop-up target under surveillance. Coonts was following the other. I needed to make a decision on whether to try and apprehend as many of the suspects as possible or let them leave in hopes of following. This was a well-coordinated effort and told me the operators were pros. I was having mixed feelings about the purpose of the operation. The more I saw, the more I was convinced this did not have anything to do with the Galactic Union.

  Klutch commed me. “Commander, one of the suspects made a mark on the container while the other remained hidden. They are both going back the way they came.”

  “Stay on them Klutch. I want to know where they are going.”

  “Roger that Commander.”

  Coonts commed me a sitrep. “Commander, Tria, and my targets are exfiltrating the area in the direction of the shipping docks. They seem to be covering each other's movements. One moves forward and stops, then the other moves ahead and they repeat the process. They are trying to ensure they are not followed.”

  “Roger that, my target is now moving toward the shipping docks as well. I have eyes on you. They may meet at a single exit point.”

  I followed the cloaked suspect until I met up with Tria and Coonts. The three targets converged and moved silently to the fence line. One of them pulled an old container door carefully aside revealing a piece of pipe that went under the fence. One by one they entered and then pulled the door back into place. We leapfrogged the pipe entrance and looked for its exit point. The pipe disappeared into a large junk pile. Close to a hundred yards away was a large collection of pipes that were very similar to the one under the fence. We took up watch positions around the pipes and waited to see if we could get our eyes back on the targets. I dreaded the thought of crawling in the pipe in search of them. This crew knew what they were doing. If it was me in
there, I would have booby traps waiting for anyone who dared follow.

  We waited for more than twenty minutes with no movement. Klutch commed me a report. “Commander the Tibors have exited the container yard and are moving into the derelict warehouses. They are moving much more carefully and are watching their backtrail.”

  “Keep me posted. We have lost sight of our targets and are trying to reestablish contact.”

  “Affirmative Commander.”

  I felt like we had lost any chance of getting eyes back on our targets. I looked at the shipping docks over my shoulder and decided to increase our search area. “Tria, you and Coonts, move to the shipping docks and start scanning. If they were moving that way, they had to have a reason.”

  I got two quick confirmations and I activated my gravity drives. I boosted straight up and started making slow circles around the area. I was going to take my chances doing a full power, full-spectrum scan when Klutch commed me again.

  “Commander, the targets went into a vacant warehouse and have not emerged.”

  “Hold tight and keep the warehouse under surveillance, I am on my way.”

  “Roger that Commander. Holding.”

  I moved off to where my HUD showed Klutch slowly circling in the distance. I was almost to his location when I got a call from Coonts. He sounded excited.

  “Contact! The targets just emerged from a warehouse. It looks like they are moving directly at a small freighter. It has its cargo doors in the open position and is parked in dock seventy-three.”

  I glanced back at the docks and saw Tria’s blue avatar moving swiftly to join up with Coonts. Things were finally going our way again. I flinched at having the thought, but it was too late to take it back. If our past adventures were a true indicator, hard luck and trouble were sure to follow. As much as I wanted to spit and cuss for letting silly superstitions clutter my thoughts, history gave my delusions a fair amount of credibility.

  9

  I rendezvoused with Klutch and we split up covering both sides of the decrepit warehouse. Not wanting to take a chance of losing the Tibors, I pointed at the warehouse and started descending. Klutch gave me a thumbs up and disappeared on the other side of the abandoned building.