Captain Ericsson was temporarily in command of the shipyards, and watched the relatively tiny ship approach through the viewer, when the face of a young and rather inexperienced officer appeared on the screen displaying the rank of commander. The captain was shocked that the man had attained that rank so early, he appeared to be barely mid-way through his twenties. Just a sign of the times, he thought.
“ E.D.F. S Hornet requests permission to dock,” a rather authoritarian sounding voice came over the speakers.
“ E.D.F. S Hornet, you are cleared for docking on bay 6, please be aware that some of the docking facilities are under repair, station operations will inform you of the current interim docking procedures.” Ericsson had to say this to any ship wishing to dock with the station after the Krenarans took out all the docking ports during the battle, some were more damaged than others. Fortunately, work teams on-board had temporarily repaired bay 6.
“ E.D.F. S Hornet understands and confirms, glad to be here echo base.”
The communication ended, replaced by the image of the Hornet slowly advancing, the two smaller inter-system boosters of the three it possessed, briefly flared as they gently accelerated the ship for an instant before powering down. As it approached bay 6, small controlled bursts of reverse thrust from its forward thrusters, slowed the ship. Until finally with a deep ‘thunk’ its forward docking arm magnetically clamped onto the docking port.
A full diplomatic team arrived on the station, escorted by a squad from the 69th Sicarian guards.
Ericsson, Vargev and several other commanders had made their way to the docking area to formally greet the party.
“ Welcome to echo base, ambassador…”
“ Lataf,” the ambassador corrected in a rather rude fashion. Vargev was already taking a dislike to this man, but said nothing.
Without a word the assembled men all began the walk to the nearest elevator.
“ Where is the Krenaran representative?” he continued.
“ He is in private quarters on-board the station, under guard. We have prepared an area to facilitate negotiations on the planet surface below,” Ericsson replied.
“ Very good, I shall prepare for the negotiations immediately.”
“ Quarters have been made available for your stay on deck 18.”
“ Thank you, captain.”
With that, the ambassador left the assembled men, and headed to the elevator, with his entourage in tow.
“ Who the hell does that guy think he is?” Vargev asked.
“ An ambassador,” Ericsson replied.
“ I hate ambassadors, especially pricks like him.”
Vargev and Ericsson returned to the command centre and waited for Lataf’s signal, after several hours of waiting around for the ambassador, and Vargev becoming ever more frustrated with the man, the signal finally came that he was ready.
Ericsson and Vargev both returned to Lataf’s quarters and met up with the escort party and the ambassador. “We will escort you to your shuttle, if you would follow me,” Ericsson said.
“ Of course.”
The twelve strong party all made their way to the nearest available shuttle, Ericsson ushered them all inside, before taking a seat at the flight console. He keyed in a control that opened an internal comm. channel to the command centre.
“ Shuttle echo six requests permission to disembark.”
“ Shuttle echo six, permission has been granted, good luck captain,” the reply came over the speakers.
“ Thank you, echo six out.” Ericsson replied, we’re going to need it, he thought.
The small shuttle gently lifted off and banked left as the gigantic hangar bay doors opened, revealing the inky blackness of space and the twinkling of distant stars. The silent forlorn wreckage of the starship graveyard confronted them as its inhabitants drifted aimlessly amongst themselves.
The shuttle accelerated out of the hangar bay and down towards the emerald hue of gamma IV far below. It began to shudder gently as the friction from the upper atmosphere buffeted the small craft, gradually it punched through the atmosphere and descended through the cloud cover, revealing to the occupants the scattered metallic wreckage, deep craters, and scarred landscape from the intense battle fought a week earlier.
“ My god, what a mess,” Lataf said indignantly.
Vargev harrumphed, but said nothing, instead using discretion as the better part of valour, never mind that hundreds of men had fought and died on that mess as he called it.
Ericsson bit his lip hard, feeling exactly the same way as Vargev did.
“ Is there a problem captain?” The ambassador asked, baiting him.
“ Well actually…” Ericsson went to say, then stopped in mid sentence. “No, no problem.”
“ Good, captain.” The ambassador said with just a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
Ericsson silently berated himself for allowing the ambassador to get to him, it would not happen again. There were bigger things to consider here, like the peace treaty.
Dalvosh was due to arrive in a separate shuttle, and would be flanked by several Krenaran guards at the peace talks, making up the Krenaran contingent, this had already been arranged by Ericsson while they waited for Lataf to prepare.
The heavily damaged buildings of echo base were clearly visible now as the shuttle began its final approach into an area cleared of debris for their arrival. The gravitic engines thrummed into life, kicking up a plume of dirt and dust as they slowed the shuttle before it gently rested on its three hydraulic landing legs. A ramp gradually lowered as the shuttle powered down and the occupants all filed out into the damp and muddy surface.
The party slowly made their way towards the temporary headquarters set up for them, as they neared general Kalidis approached them, his nose still taped from the battering he took from Vargev, saluted and introduced himself to the ambassador. “I am General Georgiannos Kalidis, commander of this facility.”
“ What is left of it,” the ambassador replied.
“ If you would like to follow me I will show you to the negotiation area.”
“ Thank you general.”
Kalidis joined the party and they continued on their way to the headquarters, just as the shuttle containing Dalvosh became visible over the horizon, before gently landing alongside the ambassadors own shuttle. The huge Krenaran emerged flanked by the shuttle pilot and about four or five E.D. F troops, Vargev couldn’t make out the exact number as they were now some way off.
The ambassador’s party approached the makeshift headquarters, there were two rather battle weary lieutenants guarding the entrance, who, nevertheless stood to attention and saluted the ambassador appropriately. Lataf however ignored the salute and pushed past these lieutenants, entering the wide, well lit interior.
This infuriated Ericsson who could hold his silence no longer. “You could have returned their salute ambassador,” he said pointing back to the two guards stationed on the outside of the building.
“ Why? I am not E.D. F, I am E.O.C.A.” Lataf retorted matter of factly.
“ It’s about common courtesy and respect damnit! Many people have died here to make this possible.” Ericsson shouted, beginning to lose his temper with the flagrantly disrespectful ambassador Lataf.
“ And they will be honoured appropriately captain, my place is at the negotiating table, not at a battlefield.”
At that Ericsson could say nothing.
The remainder of the ambassador’s retinue all filed into the room, a few men were already there pointing small hand held cameras at them for the benefit of the outer colony news service, who were taking a deep interest in the talks. As they took their seats along the perimeter, Lataf and his aides sat at a large oval table which dominated the centre of the room, the ambassador began to quietly look over the terms of the treaty once again as he awaited Dalvosh’s team.
Michael Alexander entered the room also, after taking time out from overseeing the repairs to the Liberty to be pres
ent at the talks. He sat down next to Vargev.
“ Glad your back on your feet comrade,” Vargev whispered to him.
“ Thanks.”
“ How are the repairs going to the Liberty?”
“ Not bad, considering I’ve got half the engineers of the base crawling over her, trying to get that bucket of bolts spaceworthy.” He said with a wry smile.
A few minutes later and Dalvosh’s team also entered the room, there were two other Krenarans who had joined him, as well as four E.D. F troops who took up positions behind the Krenarans at the opposite periphery of the room.
Lataf was nervous and it showed. He had seen pictures of these aliens broadcast on the news during the fighting, but had never seen one up close until now. The sheer size, piercing red eyes, and reptilian features of these brutes that towered over him, was disconcerting to say the least.
Summoning all his inner strength and diplomatic training, he offered a rather shaky hand in friendship.
The Krenaran bowed his head as he shook it dutifully, Dalvosh’s hand dwarfed his own and his handshake was as firm as iron. Lataf winced as his hand felt like it was being crushed and his arm shaken out of its socket.
Vargev quietly chuckled to himself in the corner of the room.
There was a printed hardcopy of the treaty on the table, as well as a digital copy stored on a data navigator, which Lataf held.
“ The negotiations are now in session.” Lataf said trying not to betray a hint of his nervousness as his aides made notes, another held a small recording device.”
Dalvosh silently nodded, his eyes fixed on the ambassador. The news crew trained their cameras on the men.
“ The terms of the Krenaran surrender, and subsequent ending of the E.O.C. A — Krenaran war are as such. Number 1, all military operations against E.O.C. A, its military arm the E.D. F, and E.O.C. A citizens and property must immediately cease.”
“ I understand and agree,” Dalvosh replied calmly, betraying no emotion.
“ Secondly, all Krenaran military assets, including troops, vessels, and related military equipment must immediately leave E.O.C. A territory.”
Dalvosh agreed to this also.
“ Thirdly, all human and Solarian prisoners of war must be returned to the closest E.O.C. A or Solarian colony world or facility where they can be returned to their appropriate homes and families.”
Dalvosh also agreed to this, although somewhat reluctantly.
“ There will be a three light year demilitarised zone, between E.O.C. A and Krenaran territories, extending 8 light years out from the Agemman colony and then across the north eastern tip of the connaught sector for another 15 light years as shown in your copy of the treaty.”
An aide passed Dalvosh a copy of the treaty, which he eyed for a few moments before nodding in agreement.
“ Any deviation from these terms will be considered either as an act of hostility towards the E.O.C. A government or an outright act of war.”
Lataf gave Dalvosh and his aides some time to peruse the terms of the treaty.
An aide spoke up, it was Dalvosh’s second in command, “you must not sign this pitiful excuse for a treaty Dalvosh, we can still win this war.”
“ Quiet Briax!” Dalvosh snapped, “If we lose the entire Krenaran race to win this war, what then? Who would be left to celebrate the great Krenaran victories? We cannot fight both the Terran and Solarian empires together.”
Briax remained silent.
“ A prudent course of action,” Lataf said.
“ I sign this treaty not for your pitiful sake, your race disgusts me. I sign this treaty for our son’s sake, and their son’s, and for the future of all Krenarans.”
Dalvosh took the stylus and signed the declaration, Lataf then passed the Data navigator around the table, each aide in-turn then signed the treaty as a witness, before both Dalvosh and Lataf were handed their own copies. Eventually the hard copies were signed as well, Lataf picked up his own copy to return back to E.O.C. A headquarters on Earth.
“ Today we have made history, let it be known that peace can be achieved on the field of battle and let peace return to the galaxy once more.” A great loud cheer, reverberated around the room following this proclamation, at last, after almost a year of bitter fighting, the war was finally over. Humanity could get on with the task at hand, re-building and exploring the galaxy once again.
As the deliberations gradually drew to a close and the cameras switched off. A Solarian thrust his way into the room, Michael immediately recognised the former first officer of the Liberty. “Televis what are you doing here?”
“ I’ve come from my ship in orbit with urgent news. Solarian intelligence has just made contact with a Krenaran agent. He killed three Solarian agents and severely injured a fourth. Before the last Solarian died, he revealed the Krenaran’s codename as Lathiel.”
“ So the Krenarans propose peace, and then knife us in the back when we are not looking,” Ericsson gave Dalvosh a look of disgust.
The two Krenaran aides rose up from the table, “we will tear your puny head off Terran!”
“ Quiet!” shouted Dalvosh, “sit down all of you!”
The angry parties did as instructed, all looking towards the Krenaran commander, the human contingent with a look of barely concealed rage and betrayal, yet they listened anyway.
“ I know of the agent known as Lathiel, he was our secret weapon, trained to be the perfect assassin, he is equipped with a biomechanical gland that secretes a specially formulated combat drug only recently discovered, the drug is called morphos x. It is what allows him to physically alter his appearance to match any humanoid upon contact. He is one of the most vicious and deranged of all Krenarans.”
“ Did you send him Dalvosh!” Vargev shouted, “because if you did, I swear your brain will coat the walls of this room!”
“ How dare you accuse me of this!” Dalvosh shouted back, the two Krenarans made ready to charge Vargev and the humans present in the room, who all readied their weapons in response.
“ Where is this assassin now!” Michael shouted over the din of angry raised voices. The Krenaran war threatened to re-ignite again at any moment.
“ Last known location places him on Orion, reports suggest he is heading for Terra,” Televis replied.
“ There would be only one reason why Lathiel would be given an assignment on Terra,” Dalvosh said. “He plans to kill your president.”
“ Orion is one weeks travel away from Earth,” Ericsson said.
“ Hell of a good time to activate your assassin Dalvosh, most of the E.D. F fleet is here, the main intelligence facilities at Sigma XI you destroyed eight months ago. No one to track him and no one to catch him,” Vargev said accusingly.
“ I swear on my honour as a Krenaran, I never activated Lathiel!” Dalvosh shot back.
“ Then who did!” Ericsson shouted.
“ Alax must have activated him before hostilities ended, he is the only one who would have had the authority.”
“ And we killed Alax over a week ago,” Vargev said.
“ So effectively we have a rogue agent, who doesn’t know the war is over, on a mission to kill the President of E.O.C.A.” Ericsson pointed out.
“ That’s about the size of it,” Vargev replied.
“ If this Lathiel succeeds in his mission, it could destabilise the entire peace process, war could break out all over again,” Lataf announced.
“ Is the Faeriath ready?” Ericsson asked.
“ Negative, my ship is badly damaged from the battle, as is the remainder of the Solarian fleet. The rest of the Solarian warhost is at Agemman, Aurelias, and Eidolon, too far away to catch him in time.”
“ Which leaves…” Vargev said.
“ The Liberty; we can catch him,” Michael filled in for him.
“ The Liberty’s too badly damaged, it won’t make it.” Ericsson argued.
“ Captain, I believe in the Liberty, and her crew. She’ll make
it,” Michael countered.
“ I hope she does captain, for all our sakes,” Lataf said.
“ I’m coming with you,” Vargev said looking at Michael.
“ As am I,” Dalvosh also announced.
“ What about your men here?” Briax said.
Vargev swung his Armschlager menacingly, its deadly barrel pointed directly at the Krenarans reptilian face. “I insist.”
With that, the three of them dashed out of the makeshift headquarters towards the grounded Liberty.
Michael was first to touch his wrist comm. “Alexander to Kinraid, I want the Liberty prepped and ready to go, right now.”
“ The repairs aren’t even complete cap’n, the new main engine isn’t even tested yet.”
“ Too late commander we’ve run out of time, it’s an emergency, Alexander out.”
Vargev touched his wrist comm. too, “all commandoes in the area, I want a full squad, prepped and ready to ship out in five minutes, form up at the Liberty, Vargev out.”
The three of them continued running, along broken tarmac roads and muddy wild grassland to where the Liberty rested.
Michael touched his wrist comm. once again, “Michael to Liberty, prepare to lift off as soon as we are aboard.”
“ Understood cap’n,” the reply came.
The three of them reached the Liberty a few minutes later, where they found a full ten man squad of E.D. F commandoes stood to attention and a bewildered Logameier. “What is going on? Kinraid’s just told me that the Liberty is taking off, repairs are nowhere near complete.”
E. D. F resurgent (e.d.f chronicles) Page 12
