Exiles

by Richard Alonzo

  * * * *

  He tapped into the neural network on his way to the ready room and got Alaster to feed him regular updates, as well as running a detailed probe of the Sultan. So by the time he stepped through the door he had a pretty good idea of what he was dealing with.

  Carol stood up as Ford entered, somewhat taken aback by his new uniform, but managed to disguise it and pressed on regardless with the formal introductions. “Admiral Faiz, First Officer Viqaas, allow me to introduce our leader Guardian Ford. Ford this Admiral Faiz and his XO Viqaas. I’ve briefed them and brought them up to speed on what’s been happening”

  The Admiral stood up and lent across the table to offer his hand, but Viqaas stopped him.

  “With all due respect Admiral we’ve seen this man on the news, he’s a criminal and now it seems a fugitive, I don’t believe we should have any dealings with him or his ‘crew’.”

  Ford turned to Viqaas and offered his hand. “Your honesty is appreciated, but you shouldn’t believe everything you see and hear on the news channels.”

  Viqaas made a point of crossing his arms firmly across his chest and said nothing.

  The Admiral took Fords hand and gave it a firm, warm shake, allowing them both to sit down on opposite sides of the table before he spoke. “You‘ll have to forgive my XO, manners may not be his strong point, but he’s a good man and I trust his judgement. Captain? It is Captain isn’t it only you don’t seem to have any rank insignia on you uniform, in fact there doesn’t seem to be much uniformity at all amongst your crew, or rather what few I’ve seen.” he finished glancing sideways at Carol and back at Ford.

  Ford studied the Admiral and his XO, both were immaculately turned out in full dress navy blue uniforms, with gold braded cuffs. Rows of medal ribbons running across their chests and over their hearts, silver rank insignias affixed to their shoulders. Then looked at himself in his make shift uniform and Carol in a light grey envirosuit similar to the flight suits Lucy and Jay wore. Then cast his mind back to the hanger deck and realised only the security teams in their combat armour had anything resembling a uniform appearance. He hated to admit it, but the Admiral had a point. They were still acting and thinking like a small disparate band of rebels’ rather than the crew of a starship.

  He paused then waved his hand dismissively. “No apologies necessary Admiral, my Security Chief thinks the same way and you’ll have to forgive our appearances. We left in a hurry and didn’t have time to pack, as I believe so did you.” he concluded, noting that it was the Admiral turn to feel uncomfortable.

  The Admiral clasped his hands together forming a pyramid with his fingers and looked at Carol. “Either you have a very good intelligence officer or you’re a minder reader.”

  “A bit of both actually, would it surprise you to learn that I also know you’re out here in deep space, nearly out of food, fuel and ammo, with a ship full of refugees and nowhere to run?” Ford replied learning across the table pushing his glasses up onto his forehead and staring directly into the Admirals unflinching eyes.

  Viqaas jumped to his feet in frustration. “This charade has gone on long enough this man clearly can’t be trusted and it would appear he has a spy on our ship. We should leave now Admiral.”

  Faiz unclasped his hands and pushed his palms down on the cold black marble of the table ready to push himself up to his feet. “Well you heard the man, do you want to try and convince me to stay?”

  “How about I offer to refill the magazines on your main gun batteries, restock your food rations and refuel your reactor cores for starters. A gesture of goodwill to repay you for helping us defeat the Anterian's?”

  Viqaas rapped his fingers on the table impatiently. “He’s lying of course, this ship is way too advanced to carry the munitions or other equipment we need.”

  Ford sighed as used his neural link to pass instructions to the ships AI Alaster and activated the panels in the section of table Faiz and Viqaas were sitting at. The two screens flashed into life in front of them, taking both men by surprise, as all the technical specifications for everything Ford had offered and more scrolled down past their eyes.

  “I beg to differ mister Viqaas our ship is extremely efficient at converting energy to matter. Provide us with a large enough energy source and given the time we can manufacture just about anything.”

  The Admiral relaxed and leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands across his stomach, reluctantly Viqaas sat back down. “And what exactly do you want off me in return?”

  Ford brought the screen embedded in the table in front of him to life and projected a star chart on the view screen that made up the far wall of the ready room.

  “First and foremost you need to get back to your ship, and we both need to get the hell out of here, before any more Anterian’s show up.” the Admiral nodded in agreement before he continued, zooming in on a binary star system. “Our scans indicate the energy signature of this binary star system is an ideal spot for us draw down energy to refuel and repair. I suggest we rendezvous there if you’re interested. We can start fabricating what you need as soon as we arrive.”

  “That’s it, no strings attached, no demands?” snapped Viqaas.

  Ford smiled as he tapped the screen in front of him to bring up a new image. “Well I was hoping you’d consider helping me locate the Raider base, rescue my people, and put an end to what they call the meat run. Feeding refugees to the Anterian’s. I may not be a professional solider and have a lot to learn about running a starship, but in case you haven’t noticed gentlemen, there is one thing we all have in common right now. We’ve been cast adrift in space, with ships full of refugees, exiled from their homes. Which I believe makes this man and his rabble our common enemy.” A grainy still image of ‘Captain Scott’ taken from his earlier transmission to the Themis replaced the star chart. “Or given that our meeting point is midway between here and Nova-7 you could just take what you need and take your chances there.” Captain Scott was replaced by panoramic view of the Nova-7 Free Trade Hub, ablaze with navigation lights. A complex tangle of gantries and docking stations spreading out in all directions. Shuttles buzzed around larger ships held in a landing queue, waiting for their turn to dock.

  The Admiral stood up and gestured to Viqaas to join him, offering his hand to Ford again. “Transmit the rendezvous coordinated to Sultan.” he cast a sideway glance at his XO Viqaas. “I’ll have to consult my senior staff and take your offer under advisement.”

  Ford took his hand noting that the shake was as warm and as firm as the first one. He hoped it was a good sign. “Understood Admiral and trust me when I say I’m not looking to make enemies.” he tapped the screen in front of him with his free hand and brought up two new images. “Although I believe we do have a common foe.”

  The Admiral and Viqaas turned to find the image of Nova-7 had been replace by picture of Jasper, scowling menacingly at them. His cybernetic eye glowing the same shade of angry red as the scar that ran down the side of his face. Alongside him was the hulking, ugly black mass, of his dreadnought class ship, the Fury.

  The Admiral studied the image silently for a moment or two. “Like I said I’ll take your offer under advisement.”

  Then he and Viqaas were gone, escorted back to his shuttle by Carol, leaving Ford alone in the ready room.

  He was about to deactivate the screen when the image of Jasper and the Fury was replaced by Alaster's avatar. “Forgive the intrusion, but I have finished reviewing the data from the battle with the Anterian boarding party and I believe we have a problem.”

  “A problem?”

  “Yes we have one nanogrenade and one Verion blade unaccounted for.”

  Ford sucked in the air through his teeth before exhaling deeply. “Who were they were issued to?”

  “It would appear they were allocated to one of the dead crewmembers but I have not been able to deduce who took them from the data records available.”

  “Very well instigate an internal security
investigation. I want all surviving personnel from the engagement monitored, effective immediately. Secure the data in a compartmentalised data store accessible by my security clearance only. Alert me immediately if anyone attempts to access it. “

  Confirmed, do you still wish me to delete the technical specifications and manufacturing records?”

  “No, you’ll need that information to identify them when they’re located. Transfer it to the compartmentalised data store and delete it from your main data banks.”

  “Acknowledged.” said Alaster. “You may also be interested to know your cloak and amour have completed the sterilisation cycle.” he added disappearing from the screen.

  “And I was just getting use to this.” muttered Ford to himself, as he made his way to the bridge, tugging at the cuffs of his new outfit.