by Sid Kar
Commodore Raptor, VC Barryett, Law Officer Legtar and Detective Hartar were standing in front of the man who was the Stardjacker and was now tied to a chair with steel chains. They were in a large windowless room with a single chair for the captive and twenty starship guards stood around the walls with their laser guns aimed at the prisoner. The Stardjacker had barely survived the laser shot to his abdomen and taken many days to regain his consciousness, but he was still dangerous even without his specialized armor. Raptor had put him in solitary confinement for a few days after he had come to senses to oversee his medical treatment and also to try to break his confidence. They were meeting him for the first time today.
“Stardjacker, what is your name, your rank and assignment,” Raptor asked him.
“I am Capitan Kyrtar Prym, Stardjacker and assigned to Starship Conquistador,” Stardjacker replied, “under direct command of Com. Carvyk Botlar.”
“Just what has Com. Carvyk told you about us?” Raptor asked.
“What do you plan to do to me?” Capitan Kyrtar asked instead.
“I ask the questions here, I am your senior officer,” Raptor said, “But I will tell you this. We are going to take you to Starfleet Command and present you for your testimony.”
Capitan Kyrtar seemed confused upon hearing this, he shook his head then looked at Raptor, “You would do that? Why?”
“Why not?” Raptor asked baffled at this question.
“Com. Carvyk had told me that there was a group of officers in Sixth Frontier Fleet that was taking bribes from the smugglers to look the other way,” Kyrtar said, “He had a plan to stack all of you abroad a single starship so that he could catch you all red handed in one shot.”
“Even if that ridiculous story were true,” Raptor said, “Which it is not...”
“I spent my whole life chasing and catching smugglers, I find such an insinuation insulting to my honor,” Barryett said.
“Why the hell would a Stardjacker be involved in this?” Raptor asked, “Were you to secretly gather evidence on us?”
“No sir,” Kyrtar said, “Com. Carvyk said if they failed to interdict you, you might abscond with this starship to a foreign nation. I was to disable experimental superweapons this ship is carrying if that were to transpire. That is what I suspected had happened when I tried to infiltrate the Plasma Section the first time and that civilian managed to fight me off long enough…”
“That was ex-commodore Antrar,” Raptor said, “our national hero.”
Capitan Kyrtar seemed pained by this revelation, “If true, then I am really sorry, but you do realize I had my orders and they came from an officer above your rank. I had to follow them.”
“Do you still believe we are corrupt?” Barryett asked.
“I don’t know what to believe,” Kyrtar said, “If you were, you would have let me die or jettisoned me into space. And I haven’t seen any evidence of collaboration with smugglers or a plot on your end to flee into alien space. I am not prejudiced against you and I am aborting my mission…”
“As if you have a choice now,” Legtar scoffed.
“…pending further clarification from a higher ranked officer than Com. Carvyk. I will tell all I know to Starfleet Commander if you transport me to their headquarters,” Kyrtar said.
“I don’t want to punish a soldier doing what he thinks is his duty,” Raptor said, “But I can’t take the risk of your being Carvyk’s pawn. You will be held in confinement till we reach our destination but free to move around.”
“I understand,” Kyrtar said.
“Did you say ‘experimental superweapons’ earlier…as in many and not just one Plasma Wheel,” Hartar asked. Raptor and Barryett looked at him, they had overlooked this phrase.
“Yes,” Kyrtar replied, “I don’t have their names, descriptions and locations on me now. That was embedded in my armor’s computer.”
“Alright, I want to get to that right away, I am too curious…” Raptor said.
“Me too,” Barryett replied.
The four of them walked out of the room leaving him to the starship guards. They took a hovercraft to the command room where communications officer Dorrvyk informed them that Tollvyk, Alvina and company’s spaceship had just returned and landed in the bay.
Commodore Raptor ordered the Electronics Section to fetch him someone who could retrieve data from Stardjacker’s armored suit and he asked Hartar to go bring it to the command room. The detectives department was currently running forensics tests on it.
A young capitan in his mid-twenties with a boyish face and a youthful smile with a stocky figure arrived after a few minutes and looked at all the different instruments with a keen eye and curiosity.
“Can I help you, Capitan?” VC Barryett asked him.
“Sir, Capitan Gonzovyk Tulkar of Electronics Section reporting for duty,” he saluted the Vice-Commodore.
“Over here Capitan,” Detective Hartar said as he walked in just then carrying the armored suit in his hand. Raptor walked down from his section towards them.
“Capitan Gonzovyk, what do you do?” Raptor asked.
“Commodore sir, I am a specialist in the integrated electronics of armored suits,” Gonzovyk answered, “temperature control, targeting, sensors, computers, controls and all.”
“Can you retrieve data from this,” Raptor pointed to the suit Hartar was holding.
“A Stardjacker suit,” Gonzovyk smiled as he took it from Hartar and examined it with his fingers then pulled out a small handheld scanner from his pocket and slowly pressed it over the suit. He read the diagnostics numbers.
“Unfortunately, this needs to be repaired, hard blows and laser heat has damaged many circuits, I will have to rebuild them before I can read any data,” Gonzovyk replied.
“How long will that take?” Raptor asked impatiently.
“Few hours to a couple of days,”
“Why that long?” Raptor asked.
“Stardjacker’s armor is the most complex there is, so much that it is not even produced in factories like regular soldiers’ armor,” Gonzovyk said.
“It is hand crafted?” Hartar asked.
“Not exactly in the sense you understand it,” Gonzovyk said, “It is made with precision machinery but operated by specialists who overlay each layer of micro-machines one at a time then integrate it together very slowly and dexterously. We will have to recreate that process for the broken parts.”
“Alright, get to it,” Raptor said, “I am putting entire resources of our Electronics Section under your command and for this task alone, unless specifically exempted by my orders and by my orders only.”
“Yes sir,” Gonzovyk grinned widely. He wasn’t one of the seniormost officers of his section but relished the thought that Commodore had put him in charge for this project.
Capitan Gonzovyk saluted them and left the room with Stardjacker’s armored suit.
“That takes care of that,” Raptor said, “Capitan Dorrvyk, inform Tollvyk and company to make straight for my personal office.”
“Yes sir,” Dorrvyk replied.
“VC Barryett, I want you, Hartar and Legtar with me,” Raptor said, “I can’t wait to hear what Segwyk told Alvina.”
Raptor, Barryett, Hartar and Legtar took a hovercraft to Raptor’s personal office in the command officers’ personal quarters. Tollvyk, Alvina, Kartar and Agnosis were already waiting for them outside the door.
“You didn’t drop him off?” Raptor pointed at the Nestorian with surprise.
“We had a dicey escape and thanks to Capitan Agnosis’ piloting skills we made it back safely,” Col. Kartar said.
“Glad to hear,” Raptor smiled at Agnosis, “But you are stuck with us for a while now as we are heading back to our own country.”
“I will take a tour,” Agnosis replied.
“For now, I am going to ask starship guards to escort you to the guest section. We will be having a private conversation of matters concerning our Army.”
“Yes sir,” Agn
osis saluted him and Raptor waived at two starship guards and had them take him to the guest quarters.
The rest of them walked into Raptor’s personal office and as soon as he had closed the door and soundproofed the room, Alvina turned around towards Raptor with a big grin on her face.
“Segwyk confessed to leading the ambush on us, and on Carvyk’s orders,” Alvina said, “But he didn’t tell me the real reason for it.”
“That’s great and that’s enough,” Law officer Legtar said, “Capitan Alvina’s testimony is enough for you to file a formal complaint against Segwyk and Carvyk.”
“Yes, and finding their nefarious reasons will be our task,” detective Hartar said, “Once House of War initiates an inquiry then it’s in the hands of Department of Army Investigations. Then Carvyk’s rank cannot save him.”
“Alvina, I have to thank you on behalf of entire Starship Conquistador for undertaking this mission at great risk to your life,” Raptor said.
“Thank Tollvyk, Kartar and the four strike soldiers who rescued me after I was taken captive by Segwyk,” Alvina said.
“I will be recommending all eight of you for medals, even Agnosis,” Raptor said.
“Unfortunately, the four strike soldiers didn’t make it,” Kartar replied.
“They died fighting our own?” Raptor asked.
“It’s a disgrace, isn’t it,” Tollvyk said, “Raptor you know me. I would be excited after scoring a successful mission. But today I feel anger. Those boys did not join the army to die fighting their own; neither did those abroad Starship Masterpiece, who believed their Commodore. “
“We will bring them to Justice, Col. Tollvyk,” VC Barryett said, “our case is now even stronger because we have Stardjacker in our custody.”
“We do,” Tollvyk’s eyes lit up.
“Detective Hartar here got him,” Raptor said, “Shot him in his stomach.”
“He had punched me hard in my mine,” Hartar said, “we are even now, but I bet I will be feeling the pain longer.”
That elicited a chuckle from everyone in the room.
“Raptor, you must know that Segwyk slapped Alvina hard across her face,” Tollvyk said grimly.
“And I promised him that you would kill him for it,” Alvina looked at him.
“I don’t know about killing…” Raptor was angry but hesitant, “but I sure will kick him hard for it.”
“I spoke in anger, and I slapped him first, but you must avenge me Raptor,” Alvina said and looked at him intently.
Raptor suddenly realized that Tollvyk and Alvina were becoming too informal and now speaking with him as a friend and a lady respectively. He looked at Barryett and saw an expression of disapproval on the old man’s face. This was still the Army, Raptor said to himself.
He walked a few steps away from the rest of the group then suddenly turned around and said, “Attention.”
The rest of them quickly stomped their boots and stood at attention.
“We are all officers in Starfire Army, our personal feelings must take second place to our duty to the State and to the Army,” Raptor said, “Col. Tollvyk, Col. Kartar and Cap. Alvina are rewarded with two full days of furlough for their role in the late operation. We have great work ahead of us and no time to waste. Dismissed.”
All of them saluted Raptor and left the room one by one. VC Barryett was the last to leave, he turned around and smiled at Raptor in approval and Raptor returned the smile. It just dawned on him that Barryett had been a silent but steady presence abroad with no noticeable faults in his command or counsel. He had never endeavored to discover the reasons for his demotion from a Commodore to Vice-Commodore.
It would have been awkward to ask earlier but they had now gone through battles together and developed sufficient camaraderie to broach the subject.
Tollvyk took a hovercraft headed towards the rear of the Starship and got off in front of a hallway that was too short and narrow for it to fly through. He started walking down the long and empty corridor. Raptor’s abrupt command to attention had jolted him, even nearly elicited a cackle from him, but he knew Raptor was right. First and foremost Raptor was his commanding officer even if a good friend and Tollvyk knew he had been letting the emotions get the better of him lately.
But as he walked towards the Strike Soldiers’ quarters’ his mood was uplifted. Unlike the rest of the starship crew, the strike soldiers didn’t have a regular task schedule. They practiced martial arts in the morning and marksmanship in the evening – the starship maintained a standard day clock – but were free the remaining time and there were regular card games amongst them, played with small sums of money. A clever and disciplined card player could even make a fortune and Tollvyk was highly confident of his abilities.
Tollvyk walked down slowly lost in his own thoughts and failed to notice sparks falling down at the far end of the corridor which opened into a huge courtyard that served as a junction leading to Strike Soldiers’ quarters. As he got closer to the opening he looked straight ahead and was startled to see laser bolts raining down. What the hell? Was there maintenance work scheduled that he was unaware of?
He walked into the balcony and sighted starship guards over the railing running around on the ground two floors below. He looked up and almost choked in shock. Hundreds of soldiers clad in all black uniform and helmet were rapidly descending down from the ceiling holding a rope in one hand and shooting laser guns with the other.
Just then one of them sighted Tollvyk and turned his laser gun towards him. Tollvyk speedily drew his own laser pistol, aimed upwards and fired in the same moment and shot down the black soldier who crashed down to the ground with a large thud. Two more soldiers twisted around and fired lasers at him but Tollvyk had jumped back into the corridor and lasers splattered off of the corner. Tollvyk let loose a few more laser shots into the courtyard and then ran back to the hovercraft area as fast as he could.
What the hell was this invasion?
He got on the same hovercraft he had left behind, entered the commands for auto-pilot and turned around and sat down breathing heavily with his laser pistol in his lap. He turned on the radio communication and connected straight to the command room.
“Raptor! We are under attack; hundreds of unknown soldiers are pouring…”
“Col. Tollvyk calm yourself, we are aware of the attack and starship guards are responding,” Raptor replied, “Get yourself back here, I have to coordinate the response.”
Raptor switched Tollvyk’s channel to the rocket section but Tollvyk had nothing to say to his junior rocket officers. He realized that he had been nearly screaming trying to talk over a loud alarm ringing throughout the starship that he had just become consciously aware of.
Tollvyk saw hovercrafts full of starship guards flying in the other direction and he wanted to join in the battle. He was never the runner from any fight but the command room officers’ presence was most required for the starship operations.
Before he knew it, his hovercraft had arrived and landed in the large open space in the region leading to the command room and officers’ quarters. Battle lines of starship guards stood with laser guns, cannons and rocket launchers on ready across multiple levels.
Col. Tollvyk walked towards them and they let him through. He walked into the command room a few minutes later, examining the defensive preparations along the way. Commodore Raptor was down on the floor and discussing the situation with VC Barryett, Detective Hartar and Capitan Styx. Tollvyk saw that Alvina and Kartar were already inside.
“There is Col. Tollvyk,” VC Barryett said, “full roll now.”
“Alright, prepare for lockdown,” Raptor said then picked up a radio to announce over the speakers, “Attention command room officers and crew. Due to the intrusion of forces unknown we will be following our standard procedure and putting the command room in total lockdown till we have reasserted full control. No one will leave or enter without explicit permission from me, VC Barryett or Capitan Styx.”
“Toll, your furlough is canceled,” Raptor said when Tollvyk walked over to them.
“You meant to say postponed,” Tollvyk grinned.
“We shall see,” Raptor replied.
“Attention room,” Capitan Styx spoke over the speakers, “Take a moment to check your pistols and if not fully charged, do so right away. Commodore also wants everyone to carry laser long guns with them at all times and starship guards present in this room will be distributing them to you shortly. Now I don’t anticipate any danger to us and there are two hundred fifty of my guards specifically assigned to defend this section.”
“But we are all soldiers even if not all of our regular duties involve personal fighting. Starfire Army trains everyone including its cooks and clerks for combat. Every one of you will be called on to defend this room and this starship if needed. That’s all.”
Capitan Styx handed the radio to VC Barryett who ordered everyone to return to their duties.
“I am ready to go back there and fight them face to face,” Tollvyk exclaimed then tapped his pistol, “Hell, I already shot one of them.”
The rest of them stopped and looked at him with amazement.
“What were you doing all the way back there?” Raptor asked.
“Hoping to catch some card games in Strike Soldiers’ quarters, make some money off of those boys,” Tollvyk grinned.
Raptor shook his head and said, “alright, join us,” then started walking again. Barryett, Styx and Hartar followed him, so did Tollvyk.
The Dark Star Company’s mercenaries acted with discipline and purpose as they spread out across the starship from the two large courtyards they had drilled their way into. Many of them were ex-soldiers from assorted galactic armies, others were smugglers and pirates, gunmen and conmen, but each one of them had been in at least one infantry battle, even if just a laser fight against law officers; that was the rule Romvyk strictly enforced for recruitment and entry.
The starship guards who responded initially were taken by surprise at the large scale attack and were quickly shot down. The mercenaries had brought small two-three-four person hovercrafts along with them that they mounted and then fanned out to the locations marked on starship’s internal map displayed on their helmet’s visors.
