“What about that ship over there? Top left corner, near a cluster of red ships?” Sam said.
Maddie scrolled toward the cluster, and clicked on it.
“He’s a bit far out. Judging by his trajectory, he’s attempting to get as far away from Earth as possible. Maybe the news of the attempted invasion ruffled his feathers,” Maddie said, reading up on the ship that she’d selected.
Operational leader Sam got even closer toward the screen, and did the same.
“The Alpha Ship One,” Sam said, a little sarcasm present in his voice. “VIP status, I see,” Sam continued, noticing that the ship had a strangely high priority setting on its record.
Judging by its size, and its age, one wouldn’t come to the conclusion that the Alpha Ship One was of any importance. But according to its data log, and its registration documents appearing on the screen, the Alpha Ship One was very important. It was more important than the majority of the ships that he’d seen on the map already.
Most of the other ships were just bog standard commercial ships or army ships. Militarily and haulage ships were more or less the same. Both had the capability of defending themselves. Both had weapons on board, and both had free reign to pass through various nearby galaxies.
But VIP status ships were different. Even though a VIP could be tracked, tracking one needed a court ordered warrant. A warrant that would usually take a couple weeks to obtain. The thing with VIP status ships was that they usually could do what they want and go where they want, and not be disturbed.
But for some reason, this particular ship interested Sam. And the fact that it was a VIP ship interested him even more. But that wasn’t what was peaking this curiosity, it was the fact that the ship looked as if it was getting out of dodge as fast as it could. And if it was truly leaving the Milky Way Galaxy, where was it going and was it for business or pleasure?
“Track that ship. Something seems a little off about it. Most VIP ships have been summoned back to Earth, in case the rebels attempt to kidnap any of the members on board. But this ship is ignoring all protocol. Something tells me that if we track it, we might learn a thing or two,” Sam said, resting his hand gently on Maddie's shoulder.
She clicked on the ship a few times, and pressed on a tracking digital button, making Sam’s order official. She then swiveled in her chair, and turned to her boss.
“Done and done,” she said, smiling up at him. Sam couldn’t muster a smile in return. There was nothing to smile about. He didn’t have the time or patience to smile, he had a job to do. And that job was about to get a lot more interesting.
If things went his way, Pilgrim Tech would be catching up with the rebels soon. And when the Snake Pit Fighters and the Annex Rebel Fleet met for the second time, operational leader Sam hoped for his family’s sake that they would end this before Pilgrim Tech ended them.
He wasn’t taking their threat against his family lightly. As they had warned him, the sins of the father must be paid in full. He just hoped that the only people to pay for their supposed sins would be the rebels.
***
I stared at the screen expectantly. Now that I had been given the server address for the Annex Rebel Fleet Commander, I was waiting patiently as a connection attempt was made.
The ship’s computer moaned and groaned as the old hard drives span at thousand rpm. Just like the ship itself, the computers onboard it were ancient by this day and age’s standards. Pilgrim Tech had never seen the Alpha Ship One as a flagship vessel. They had seen it and its crew – including me – as fodder. And I had no qualms about that. In fact, I was happy to be part of a so-called subpar fleet.
Galactic fame and recognition had never interested me. The things that had interested me were out of my grasp anyway. Deep down, from the very first day I’d received my wings, I had always wanted to make a difference in this Universe. But unfortunately I knew my limitations and so did the bosses that governed me. I suppose the idea of getting contact with rebels that may share my same resentment toward the establishment was exciting. But I was still a little skeptical. After all, I was dealing with men that had attempted to kill me and my crew – no matter what they said, I knew that deep down within their black souls was nothing but evil.
The tell-tale signs were there. There had been many men before the so-called Annex Rebel Fleet that thought they were right, that they would just in their actions. But in my opinion, any man that chooses to make a point with bullets and knives is no better than the target of the point they are trying to make.
Men are all one in the same. They all share the same grievances, and the same faults. That means that in reality, there can be no good nor can there be any evil. But that doesn’t mean that men don’t try. There are men that try their very best to be righteous, only to fall at the last hurdle. And then there are men that hold no good within them, and choose to shun society and its keepers. Both types of men are part of the problem. And in my opinion, things won’t change. At least not until men learn how to agree to disagree.
“I’m getting a strong signal on the other end boss,” Philip said, manning the communications desk a few feet from me. He was sitting in his comms chair, overlooking the various signals coming inbound onto our computer system.
Looking at the big screen in front of me, I could tell that we were about to make contact with the Commander. The server address was correct. And whoever was on the other end of that server address had accepted our attempt at communication. After the screen had loaded, it went blank for no more than two seconds. I stared at the nothingness on the screen, my eyes focusing on every pixel, waiting for the undeniable moment of first contact with the Commander. And just as I expected, the blank screen disappeared and a new image popped up.
A stern face stared back at me. I saw a green light above my screen, indicating that face-to-face communication had been initiated. Both sound and visual playback was present. And the face staring back at me broke into an unexpected smile. A smile that showed a lack of oral hygiene, blackened teeth taking up a few inches of screen space. But it wasn’t the man’s teeth that I was interested in, it was what he had to say for his militia group and him choosing me and my crew as their so-called “key”.
I didn’t waste any time with pleasantries. Without even saying hello, or introducing myself, I went in for the kill.
“So – this is the face of the man responsible for destroying the space station that me and my crew were bunking at. I’ve met a few killers in my life, but none so ugly,” I said, to the absolute dismay of the prisoner standing next to me.
I turned to see his face, it had gone completely white. He was about to say something when Dale appeared behind him and clocked him in the back of the head. The prisoner landed hard on the floor, out like a light.
The face staring back at me on the screen didn’t look phased. In fact, he looked amused. This wasn’t all just a show and dance for him. This was more than that. This was pent-up aggression. This was anger. And above all, this was revenge. I was fed up of being a pawn in other people’s wars. I wasn’t going to fall for the same thing twice. Pilgrim Tech may have used me before, but I wasn’t going to allow these so-called freedom fighters to do the same.
“I can see that you are angry, and I understand your annoyance. But please allow me to explain myself and my cause,” the Commander said, still smiling back at me, his teeth looking repulsive on the large screen in front of me.
But I wasn’t interested in hearing his excuses. I had a lot to say, and not a lot of patience to listen to him whine on. I’d already heard what the prisoner had had to say, and although I agreed with some of his points, it was time for me to make a point of my own.
“You need to shut your mouth for a second. This isn’t a negotiation. Your man already told me your mission statement, and quite frankly, I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what you and your militia of men want to accomplish. This isn’t about you. This is about me, my crew and the Alpha Ship One. We have already been used mor
e times than I care to remember. And I will not allow it to happen again. So, Commander, are you willing to shut your propaganda spewing mouth up for more than two minutes so I can tell you what I want out of this?”
The Commander’s face soured a little. And even though he had been smiling seconds before, his smile had now disappeared into what I could only imagine to be total oblivion. He was a violent man. That much I could tell. He had never been spoken to like this before, and probably would never be spoken to like this again. I had been the first man to put him in his place in a very long time. He had the grand title of Commander, but to me he was nothing but a lout. And most likely, to him, I was nothing but an ant. A worker ant that he wanted to use for his misdeeds. But I wasn’t willing to compromise on my crew or my ship. This wasn’t going to be a hard sell. He wasn’t going to persuade me into doing anything that I didn’t want to do. And instead of acting like I was game for his jaunt against the Galactic Empire, I thought that it was best that I made things clear from the get go.
“I’ll listen to what you have to say,” the Commander said, clearing his throat a few times, and then taking a sip from a glass of water.
He was sitting in his captain’s chair on his ship. I could see faces behind him, faces belonging to his crewmates, staring back at my reflection on their own big screen. They shared the same expression that the Commander shared. One of disbelief. It was obvious from their demeanor that they were rough and ready. They didn’t usually have the time of day for people like me, but seeing that I had something they wanted, they would have to listen.
So I wasn’t worried about pushing my weight around a little. This was a game of respect. And if these guys didn’t respect me, then I could guarantee that my ship and my crew wouldn’t be getting out of this one intact.
“You’re damn right you’re going to listen to me, I’m all you have. From what I’ve heard from your man on my ship, we are the key to your plan. But not every key opens every door. And I want you to know that, Commander. I don’t want you to have any false hope when it comes to the Alpha Ship One. I don’t want you to think that we are weak, and will easily bend to your will. I have met men like you before, and quite frankly, you don’t scare me. I have two options; I can work with you and your men to help bring a new dawn to our planet and the Galactic Empire, or I can turn my ship back around and below your whole mission to kingdom come,” I said, sitting back in my chair, the sound of the leather stretching as my bodyweight relaxed into the fabric.
Dale was still standing next to me. At his feet, the prisoner didn’t move. And even if he did attempt to move, I’m sure Dale would put him back down where he belonged. We were running things. This was our ship. And we wouldn’t allow these militiamen to frighten us out of orbit.
“I doubt that you understand what you are insinuating, Capt. Flynn. You talk as if you have some dirt on us, as if you know how to bring us down, down to your level, on an even playing field. But you are forgetting something. We outnumber you, and we sure as hell outnumber Earth’s immediate defenses. I don’t know what our man has told you, but I do know that he is only privy to a fraction of the information at play here. So before you start pounding your chest like an ape, trying to assert your dominance, just remember who the hell you are talking to,” the Commander said, grinding his rotten teeth slightly as he spoke.
I smiled at the Commander. His threats weren’t even registering with me.
“I feel as if I’m not making myself clear, Commander. Truth be told, I do not harbor any ill will toward your men or your mission. Your man made a good point when he tried to sell me on the idea of joining your militia. He made the point that Pilgrim Tech were corrupt and needed to be stopped. I didn’t need him to tell me that. Me and my crew have seen it first-hand. We have experienced their corruption. And I am pretty sure that you are aware of the circumstances in which we experienced that corruption. But I’m not here to sell you on myself or my crew. And I hope to God that you are not here to do the same. I have heard enough about your militia. And I am certain that you have heard enough about us. The only question that truly remains is if we will join your crew, and help take down Pilgrim Tech.”
The Commander was staring back at me, his face large on the equally large screen. He stopped gritting his teeth. He then broke out into a smile.
“I see. A man that wants to get straight to the heart of the matter. I respect that. And I understand what you are insinuating. You want me to know that you are fully capable of defending yourself, and you will not be persuaded into doing anything you do not wish to do. And while I appreciate the sentiment, please note that this is not how I do business. This isn’t a dictatorship. Every man and woman that fights for the Annex Rebel Fleet has their reasons. I do not lord myself over my men or women. And even calling them my men and women pains me. Because this isn’t what we are. We are not who we fight against. We are a group of like-minded individuals that want to bring a new dawn to mankind. So don’t you worry yourself with the idea that once this is all said and done the Annex Rebel Fleet will just chew you up and spit you out. We are not Pilgrim Tech. We have a plan. And that plan is to eradicate the idea that men are disposable. Expendable. Because that is not what men are. We are much more than that. We are expandable. And we plan on expanding our presence in the Universe. But not via violent means, but via peace.”
I stood up, nodded my head, and turned to Dale.
“You think he has a point? You think this will work?” I said, surprising both the Commander and Dale. But Dale didn’t stutter.
“I suppose it’s worth a try boss,” Dale said, standing over the unconscious prisoner on the floor. I turned my head and faced the screen once again. The Commander looked confused. I intended to clear up that confusion.
“So there you have it Commander. The Alpha Ship One is officially in service. But just so you know, we don’t work for you. We don’t work for anybody. And even though you have your reasons for fighting the establishment, we have ours. And as far as I am concerned, our reasons are the only ones that matter. So don’t go thinking that we are loyal to you. We are not. We are just loyal to making Pilgrim Tech pay for what they did to me and my crew. And once this is all over, you can go your separate way and we will go ours. You do as you please with the power you win from defeating Earth. And we will do what we place with what we have left. I have no dreams of being a member of a new government. The only thing that I want to do is secure a future that is financially stable for my men and women. And maybe along the way, change the world for the better. But we’ll see,” I said.
The Commander nodded. His previous facial expression softened a little. Now that we were both on the same page and we had both laid out our true intentions, the reluctant relationship could begin.
“Good. It is done then. I don’t expect you to kill or maim for my cause. I only have one mission for you and your crew. It’s a simple mission. But it will change the dynamic of our Galaxy forever. A dynamic that is in desperate need of a shift. And a shift in momentum is what it will get. We are about to shake things up dramatically. Earth will not know what to do. But the people will. And that is all that matters.”
I stared at the Commander, waiting expectantly for whatever order he was about to give.
“What is our mission then?” I asked, sitting back down in my seat.
“Kidnap the president of Pilgrim Tech, bring him to our planet, and make him confess to his crimes,” the Commander snarled.
***
The non-descript man was sitting in his office. It was a small office, one shared by other low-key workers. The office was empty, most of the men and women that usually filled it were either on break or had gone home. The large space battle that had happened between the Annex Rebel Fleet and Earth’s Snake Pit Fighter fleet had taken its toll on the workers at Pilgrim Tech. Some of them had been in the office for over thirty-eight hours. So the suits on the top floor had ordered some of the less important members of Pilgrim Tech to go hom
e and catch some shuteye.
They’d also told him to go home, but he wasn’t one to listen to authority, anyhow. He convinced them that he was better off working, making sure that any potential threats that could make themselves known would be dealt with as quickly as possible. And even though he was a low-key worker just like the rest of his office, he held some close ties with some of the members on the top floor.
They saw him as a valuable asset. But he wasn’t an asset that they were willing to reward with a pay rise and a new position on a higher floor though. And deep down, the non-descript man knew that the fact that they used him so blatantly was one of the reasons why he was willing to risk it all to bring them down. But his unrewarded perks was one of the main reasons that he was even able to contemplate such a move. If they didn’t see him as valuable, then he would not be able to be a successful operative for the Annex Rebel Fleet.
His position and his job played a major role in this operation. So a part of him was happy that Pilgrim Tech saw him like they did. If he had been able to get promoted, then maybe he would have been just like the rest of them, willing to turn a blind eye to corruption just to make a quick buck. The non-descript man was not like that. He held certain beliefs, beliefs that he was willing to throw caution to the wind for.
Sitting there at his desk, he stared at his computer screen. On the screen there was one solitary program opened up. It was in windowed mode, and he was staring blankly at the cursor as it flashed on and off. He was waiting for something. And going by the time on the bottom right corner of the screen, he wouldn’t have to wait for much longer.
Destroyer of Worlds (Alpha Ship One Book 2) Page 11
