“The hell I’m not!” Michael shouted angrily, sat bolt upright, and made to leave.
“I could order you,” Kathryn replied calmly.
Michael thought about this for a moment, before finally conceding and laying back down on the hospital bed, “I guess so, besides the last time I went against your orders, it nearly killed me.”
“Well, no one was expecting you to go gallivanting off and fight a huge Krenaran monster straight from your hospital bed, were they?”
“Gotta have something to do during the day,” He winked and smiled.
Ensign Kathryn Jacobs simply tutted, “you’re unbelievable,” before going back to her duties.
The next day Michael was feeling something like his normal self again, and had been cleared to leave sickbay. Kathryn had prescribed him light duties only for the next few weeks, and plenty of rest. Suddenly a one hundred and forty nine metre long ship seemed awfully small when on the surface of a planet. He went to pay Kinraid a visit outside of the ship, partly to escape the confines, and partly to find out what he had missed, finding that Kalidis was with him.
“Glad your up on your old feet again cap’n,” Kinraid said with his customary Irish twang.
“Thank you, what’s our status report,” Michael replied getting straight down to business.
“The engineers have sealed around forty percent of the hull fractures, and the main breach where the launcher was has been sealed. The new Solarian engine is fitted but not powered up yet.”
Michael looked upon his ship, its matt black silhouette glinted dully in the light from the morning sun, flashes from welding arcs lit up parts of its dark hull. He and this ship had been through more than their fare share of scrapes together, and he was confident she could get through this one as well.
“This ship is much more than just a ship, it has become a symbol of hope and strength to the E.D.F; it needs to be back in orbit doing what it does best.”
“My engineers are working flat-out trying to get it spaceworthy again as soon as possible. We know how important this ship is to the E.D.F,” Kalidis replied.
“Good, so what’s this peace deal the Krenarans are going to sign anyway?”
“Apparently, te’ Krenarans want to sign a non-aggression treaty with E.O.C.A, tey are saying that both sides have already lost too much in this war. An E.O.C.A diplomatic team are arriving in about tree hours time,” Kinraid replied.
“Think they’ll keep it?” Michael asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“I’m not really sure to be honest; yeah, the Krenarans were te’ ones who started this whole thing in the first place. But te’ new head o’ the Krenaran military, this Dalvosh, isn’t like Axus or Alax, it looks like he just wants to put ‘tis whole sorry mess behind him and go home I tink.”
Michael laughed, “well I’ve heard it all now, a Krenaran who’s tired of fighting. That’s a new one on me.” Looking across to the heavily damaged spaceport and half-demolished loading area, he noticed that it was completely clear of Krenarans, they must have cleared out, linked up with the rest of them outside the base, he thought.
“The negotiations are to take place in a temporary headquarters, set up in number 1 tank factory, apparently it is more historically fitting.” Kalidis said, rolling his eyes.
Michael harrumphed, “well is it now,” a sarcastic tone to his voice. “I hope that history remembers that the vast majority of the atrocities in this war were caused by them, Aurelias and Sigma XI spring to mind.” He remembered those horrific attacks during the first days of the war, thousands perished within minutes. Michael reserved a special hatred for these Krenarans, for what they did to mankind, and for the deaths of his wife and son. The war had embittered him, and he didn’t think the hatred would ever pass. In fact, he didn’t really want it to. He changed to subject to bring him out of his dark thoughts, “anyway, what happened to those Krenarans on the spaceport?”
“Tey retreated as soon as the fighting stopped, and re-joined the main force outside te’ gates,” Kinraid answered.
Later that day a single Washington class heavy cruiser glided slowly towards the orbital shipyards, the lights from the facility played along its newly upgraded high powered upper laser turrets, and equipped with under-slung torpedo launchers underneath its sloped almost pyramid like frontal section as used by the Ghandhi class destroyers. Considerably smaller than the huge Danitza class battleships, its weapons lacked their range. Up close, the Washington class could unleash a powerful salvo of its own, and those torpedoes made it a dangerous foe for any ship to face, its weaknesses where that it could be picked off rather easily from distance as, being a heavier ship, it lacked the manoeuvrability of the faster Ghandhi class, and could be vulnerable to enemy bombing runs.
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 con
sole. 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 present 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.
E.D.F Chronicles - E.D.F resurgent Page 12
