by DN Farrell
"And what about Ceres, anyone know Ceres Designation?"
"Infantryman sir." Retorted Regares.
Kell then looked off into the distance and then looking back at the marines, he addressed them once again. "Marines luckily I know how to handle this ship. So I'm telling you now, it's going to be a three week ride home, if we manage to make it home without meeting any bandits along the way." He paused to see if they were listening and they were, so continuing he said "We're marines and we're still in a war zone, so like the three of us are sitting here now, you can take off your gloves and helmet, but the marines armor stays on and your gloves and helmet should always be nearby, just in case we engage with the enemy and get blown out of the ship. This isn't a military vessel, it has no shields and it has a weak hull, any engagement with the enemy will almost certainly result in us been tossed back into outer space once again."
The two nodded, then looking at Kolkalka kell said "As an artillery grunt I think I can train you in on this ships laser cannon, so stick around while I give you some tips."
Then looking over at Regares kell commented "Regares since your skills set doesn't match any function on this ship, you're on security detail, so keep an eye on our Incenotopian inmates from time to time and also keep an eye on Ceres." Then sitting back in his chair Kell dismissed the private and indicated for Kolkalka to sit in the weapons station and get trained up on the laser cannon.
Over the next few hours Kell gave Kolkalka a tutorial on using the ships laser cannon. Being the exact same type of cannon, as the one used by the marine artillery unit, save for its power range as this gun was a grade 1 and the one the navy used was a grade 5, Kolkalka picked up on it pretty quickly, although he was still confused about locating objects in space, which presented a three hundred and sixty degree possible angle of attack, but with practice kell was sure that he would get there.
The weapons station consisted of a small cockpit, where the gunner would sit and fire a virtual gun, while the actual laser cannon was attached to the very bottom of the ship. To engage the enemy, the cockpit would swing around in a two hundred and seventy degree ark, which meant for an exciting time for the gunner, but also it helped the gunner get a feel for where he was shooting at, as his headgear provided him with a virtual reality image of the outside of the ship. Once hooked into the cockpit the gunner would see wherever the gun was pointed and could maneuver the gun as if he were sitting in outer space along with the gun, the gun been attached to the very bottom of the ship.
This was important to kell, as he could fly the ship, but he couldn't operate the weapons system at the same time. Not that the Incenotopian weapons system was complicated, it was just one sole Mark I Laser cannon, used by artillery units, space fighters and small naval vessels, but all the same if the bandits decided to chase the ship, kell could only ether navigate or fire the weapon at any one time.
It would turn out that neither kell nor Kolkalka would have much time to train up in how to use the ships laser cannon, as on the outskirts of the Exugenean solar system, which was around four light years distance from the Exugean sun, the Mark IV saucer was in for a nasty surprise.
Kell was still showing Kolkalka how to use the gun, when suddenly a proximity alert lit up on the navigation console. Checking it out, kell realized that the bandits had put up a cordon around that part of the solar system. It was notoriously difficult to engage with a ship, when it was moving at super luminal speeds. The Galactic Federation had weapons, which could engage with them, but the bandits didn't, but they had the next best thing, the ability to create a huge force field across a large part of space, which would act as a sort of energetic net, which would make it equivalent to hitting a virtual wall, which would implode the warp field and crush the space craft.
To make such a net, required several space beacons, which each co-ordinated with each other to create a sort of energetic net. The space immediately in front of the saucer was filled with a blanket of these beacons. The bandits had obviously seen the saucer and decided to intercept it, so like busy spiders they wove their web of energetic fields, which was nearly impossible to detect, thus trapping the ship and forcing kell to make an emergency break from warp speed. Kell's hands fluttered over the navigation console and quickly disengaged the warp drive, making the ship stop only hundreds of kilometers away from the expansive energetic wall. No sooner had the saucer slowed down to a low pulse speed, then three rebel ships also disengaged warp drive and came in at a fast Pulse speed in a pincer movement.
Within seconds the three ships were on top of the Mark IV saucer, then they just sat there. Kell just looked at the Holo Tube, while Kolkalka waited patiently at the weapons console. The seconds ticked by and nothing happened, then nervously Kolkalka grunted to the Colonel "Colonel", there was no response, so once again he whispered "Colonel don't you think we should do something?"
Kell just raised his left hand up in the air, to suggest that Kokalka should just sit still. Kell knew that the Mark IV saucer was no match for the three bandit ships, so instead he decided to see what happens next.
They could of course blow up his ship, but then again they might want to investigate rather than just shoot up an innocent looking ship. After thirty seconds or so the rebel ship facing the Mark IV directly, began to hail it. Kell acted quickly, removing his upper body armor, so he looked like just any other regular Joe, then answering the hail, an image of a burly looking bearded man in a red turban came up on screen.
"I am Reddeck of the Eastern Skies division of the Vis Yar, who are you and where are you going?" The turbaned figure asked Kell. Kell just looked back at him with a stony glare and said "I'm Ngek of Aluires 5, we're heading back there now."
This made the bandit squint his eyes, then he said "Aluires 5 is a long way from here, more than a thousand light years, why are you here?" He asked in a policeman like tone of voice. Kell just kept on staring at him, coolly and calmly, while Kolkalka started to sweat profusely under the strain, for he knew if kell didn't answer the questions in the correct manner, that it would mean the end of them.
"We're salvagers, we just finished some salvaging on the planet Excocon." Kell said and then reaching down into the inside pocket of his chest armor, he picked out a large cigar and lit it and started puffing away, in an effort to appear as unmilitaristic as possible.
"Well Ngek of Aluires 5, we have been observing you since yesterday, your ship was moving erratically all over the solar system, why so?" Said the Captain of the bandit ship, leaning forward with curiosity, while he awaited kell’s reply.
"Space junk!" Exclaimed kell who clarified his declaration, "We take it the extra mile on this ship," Kell replied with a wry smile crossing his lips, as he nearly laughed out his answer, " it's not just enough to pick up salvage on planets, we also salvage space itself." Kell said in a droll voice, as if he were answering a matter of fact question such as "What's your age?" or "Tell me how to get to Cygnus 5".
The Captain of the bandit vessel looked perplexed and then said "How do we know you're not Federation personnel trying to escape?"
"Come on off it!" kell exclaimed, lifting his arms up in the air as he sat there in his unmarked grey marines T Shirt and then he went on to say "Do we look like space navy?" he paused and then continued "Since when does the Federation use Mark IV saucers?"
The Captain nodded slightly and then noted "Well, we shall see, prepare to be boarded, out."
Kell turned around to Kokalka "Quick, get out of your uniform, just holster your blaster and be ready for anything, and hide your armor in the storage room on level one!" And with that kell ran down to level two and got both Regares and Ceres to do likewise.
A minute or so later, there was a thud as one of the rebel ships docked with the mark IV saucer. Kell looked over at kokalka and said "Ssshh marine, I'll do all of the talking." There was a buzz sound as the rebels requested entry and with that a smiling Kell opened up the air lock, as a dozen or so rebels ran into the ship. The fir
st of them declared himself to be "Rank first Lieutenant to Captain Reddeck, show me around your ship."
Kell nodded politely and first of all he showed the Lieutenant the main storage room, which was full of salvaged items. Next they saw the second storage room, which was empty and Rank inquired "Why are you heading home so early when your ship is still half empty?"
"Oh that's Ceres, he's one of our men, he's very sick we want to get him to see a doctor, we fear he might die." Kell cleverly adlibbed his answer.
"Then show me this man." Retorted the Lieutenant, with a curious look on his face.
Kell wasted no time, in taking the Lieutenant and his men up to the second level and the sick bay area, where Ceres was lying in bed, looking ill and Regares, in her civvies, was looking after him.
"He has some kind of rare illness, he's my brother in law, I just can't leave him to die out here." kell said, with a slightly down trodden look on his face.
The Lieutenant looked back at Ceres, who genuinely looked ill and then back at kell. "Captain why don't you come to Exugenes for medical care?"
"Exugenes!" Kell exclaimed, "Are you mad, its ok for you rebels, but it's too hot for us salvagers to go there!"
The Lieutenant just looked at him and then continued on with his search. "What about the rec room its locked and sealed", he said, then leaning over and looking at the welding "by a laser weapon of some sort!" Exclaimed Rank, who was now looking a little perplexed.
"Mutiny." Kell said nonchalantly, while Kokalka’s knees where wobbling noticeably.
"Mutiny?" The Lieutenant queried. Then Kell responded "Yes most of the crew are Incenotopians and on the planet Exocon, they tried to take over this ship, so we had to disarm them and lock them up here, until we get back home and bring them to justice."
Rank just stared at kell, not sure what to do and then they moved onto to the command module, which was just one room, so there wasn't much to see, although he did have a look at the navigation console, to see where they had being recently. "Where was the last system you were in, prior to this one?" he questioned Kell, trying to catch him out, but kell had also read the navigation log, "Xorapes 7!" Exclaimed Kell and the Lieutenant just nodded and kept on looking around. Kell knew that he was losing, but what to do about it.
"Those Incenotopians, they'll collaborate your story?" The Lieutenant asked and kell just laughed back at him saying "You must be joking, they'll make up a cock and bull story to save their own skin!"
The Lieutenant came closer to kell, having to look up at his burly face, as kell was a good half a foot taller than him. Then with a very disbelieving look in his eyes, he asked "Captain Ngek, have you any papers to support these tales?"
Once again kell was one step ahead of him "Papers!" He exclaimed while smiling and then went on to say "In my line of business papers are not a good idea, you do realize we are salvagers and on occasion smugglers."
Kell had got him there, as a rebel of the Vis Yar, they could not care less about pirates or smugglers, it was the Federation whom they had a bone to pick with. "Where are you going to bring your brother in law, for treatment Captain?" Finally he said leaving kell in the lurch.
Kell shrugged, then said, "I don't know, the first system we see but not here Lieutenant."
"We'll give you save escort to Exugenes, we have beaten the Federation, you'll be safe there." He said.
Kell just looked at him blankly and then said "No way pal." While shaking his head, "The Federation are on their way back, and I'm not hanging around for the fire fight."
"What!" The Lieutenant exclaimed, looking genuinely surprised " We destroyed the Federation, they will not come back."
"You stick with your story," kell said, "I've being in the salvage game for thirty years and my nose knows better."
"Well maybe your nose knows better, but I would not agree with you!" Exclaimed the Lieutenant, who looked like he had made up his mind, as he came to stand directly in front of Colonel kell, doing his best to stand up to the gruff Colonel. "Captain you turn your ship around and head straight back to Exugenes and we will clear up all of these matters." The Lieutenant said.
Kell just nodded in the negative and said " I'm not turning back, this is a free ship, you can't force us anywhere."
"We can make you do whatever we like!" The Lieutenant shouted at Kell, looking like he was beginning to lose his cool.
Kell then said "Well how are you going to make me?" While moving closer, so as to be almost standing on top of the Lieutenant of the rebel ship.
The Lieutenant then placed his blaster under kells chin, to indicate his willingness to use force, but kell was well ahead of him, with a deft swish of his hand, he trust a small knife, which he carried in his belt buckle, and plunged it straight into the heart of the Lieutenant, who squirmed up his face but made no sound as the knife expertly sliced through his aorta, causing instantaneous death. The rebel Lieutenant sank into kell’s arms and fortunately for kell, his conversation with the Lieutenant had bored the three guards, who were standing in the command module with them. Kell seized his opportunity and Kokalka was given a rare glimpse of a master of armed and unarmed combat at work.
Kell let the body of the Lieutenant slide to the floor and then with one quick "whoosh" he threw his small knife, which was specially designed to have a handle in the middle and a blade on either end. As the blade flew through the air, in a circular fashion, it first sliced the throat of the rebel guard on kell's far right and then continuing on its ark, it lodged itself into the left hand side of the neck of the rebel, who was standing three feet away from him.
The third rebel was directly in front of kell and was just getting his head around seeing the body of his Lieutenant slumped at kell's feet, while his two fellow rebels were silently falling to the floor emitting jets of blood from their throats. As the rebel raised his weapon so as to fire, kell came running at speed across the fifteen feet, which separated them. In three large steps, kell covered most of the distance, then stamping with his right leg on the ground, he dug in and swung his hip around as if he were about to carry out the famous karate round house kick, whereby one leg stays stationary and the other leg moves in a one hundred and eighty degree angle, but instead kell started the roundhouse position, but instead of moving his leg one hundred and eighty degrees, he simply turned his leg ninety degrees and used the sudden flick of his hips to drive the force of his kick up, as his foot connected with the nose of the third rebel, with an egg crushing sound his nose instantly smashed and rose up into the skull and on into the brain, instantly killing the rebel, who hit the floor with a thud.
Kell knelt down and took his knife out of the rebels neck and cleaned off the blood on the rebels shirt. There was a pool of blood around his body, so kell tried to avoid walking in it. As he stood up, he looked over at Corporal Kolkala and smiled at the marine, whose jaw had dropped looking at the display of Colonel Kell’s skills. Then putting his right forefinger in front of his lips to indicate quietness, Kell took of his boots and kept them to one side and then knife in hand he gently walked down the circular stairwell, which connected level two to the command module.
If kell's memory served him correctly, there were six men in level two and three in level one. Kell figuring that this was a job for someone with advanced commando techniques, as he wanted to avoid a fire fight, which would alert the bandit ship attached to the saucer ship. So kell quietly snuck up to the first rebel, who was just standing to attention, at the bottom of the stairwell. Very silently he covered his mouth with his hand and sliced his heart from a rear position, once more the man slumped forward dead.
Now came the daring part, as the saucer was designed with level one and level two being completely circular, he could run at speed in either direction and rapidly cover the diameter of level two, which was around one hundred and fifty feet in diameter and he simply had to slice and stab the next five rebels within the seven or eight seconds, it would take him to run around it. On paper this would s
ound like an impossible feat, but Kell didn't even stop for a second to think about it.
Kell ran very rapidly and quietly for a very big man and quickly he sliced and stabbed one rebel guard after another, until he had silently slain four of the rebels. kell had purposefully decided to leave the rebel who guarded sickbay till last. The rebel who was half dozing as he stood there, suddenly came round, when out of the corner of his left eye he saw someone either drunk or dancing their way around the circular corridor, until he realized it was Colonel kell and the rebels were dropping to the floor, as he went by.
The man was about to shout or shoot of his blaster or something like that, but before anything could happen with a quick swinging motion kell swung his right hand up and into the side of the rebels head, trying to embed the knife into the temple, an area of soft tissue on the side of the rebels head.
However, the rebels reflexes got the better of him and the blade slide off his head. Kell ended up tripping, as a consequence of the knife's deflection, which threw him onto the saucer floor and made the knife drop out of his hand. As Kell quickly turned around to face the rebel, the rebel pointed his blaster at Kells body, but just before he squeezed the trigger, he felt a sudden stinging pain in his back, as Regares had taken out her knife and stuck it onto his back, stabbing him in the heart. The rebel winced in pain and then fell over, nearly landing on kell in the process, but kell quickly rolled out of the way.
