Acheron

by Max Wilson

  De Sousa downed his glass and slammed it down onto the desk next to Fabian’s. The sergeant growled under his breath and stormed out of the office.

  With a shrug De Sousa went to the cabinet and grabbed a fresh glass. He poured three shots and handed the fresh glass over to Wolfin.

  “No thank you, doctor,” she said. “I’ll need to keep my head clear if I’m going to have to watch my back.”

  Fabian sat back in his seat, his glass in his hand.

  “Put us on course for that Taddecu freighter, Wolfin” he said.

  “Already have.” She stepped back and then walked out the door.

  De Sousa dropped into the chair opposite Fabian. He downed the Amber in the glass he had poured for Wolfin and then picked up his own. He sniffed the strong, sharp aroma of the liquor and then looked over at Fabian.

  Fabian swirled the amber around the glass. “She’s got guts,” he said.

  “Not too clever though, the way she keeps challenging Burkhardt.” De Sousa grabbed the bottle off the desk and topped off his glass with another slug of the Amber.

  “She’s clever enough,” Fabian said. “Maybe too clever.” He took a sip of his drink and then stood up. “Better get down to your med bay, doctor. Do what you can for the wounded crew. If we can raid that freighter, we’ll get them to a Vazsoo facility. Do what you can for them until them.”

  De Sousa knocked back his drink and clambered out of the chair.

  Fabian followed De Sousa out of the office and into the command post. Fabian climbed up on to his chair. He slumped, the adrenaline in his body finally subsiding, his body was starting to crash. He downed the rest of the Amber before opening a hologram projection of the region. The intercept flight path was highlighted, a bright blue line though the darkness of space.

  3

  The Acheron had closed the distance to the Taddecu freighter and was within striking distance. The crew would have to be informed soon. They had had time to lick their wounds and rearm. The crew would be ready for a fight, a ship raid, the chance to score some bounty all of which would help their moral bounce back. Fabian would tell them soon.

  “Captain,” De Sousa’s voice came over Fabian’s communicator. “We’ve lost one of the wounded. You have to authorize their burial.”

  Fabian climbed out of his chair. This was perfect timing. A prayer for the dead was a great opportunity, the dead deserved the proper rites; it was convenient too that it would also motivate the crew for a fight.

  “I’m on my way,” Fabian said marching out of the command post.

  The med bay was chaotic. Wounded from the disastrous raid against the Taddecu transport were occupying every bunk. The three seriously injured were in a walled off bay. One of them had just succumbed to his wounds. De Sousa was disconnecting the medical equipment and a drone was preparing the body for burial.

  De Sousa spotted Fabian and finished up quickly. He stepped out and greeted Fabian.

  “His wounds were too severe,” De Sousa said looking back over his shoulder. “It was a fifty-fifty chance with him at best. I did all I could.”

  “I’m sure you did, doctor. Have him moved into position.”

  De Sousa instructed the drone to place the body into the airlock conveyor.

  Fabian opened a ship wide hologram channel, so the crew could all observe the rites.

  “Acheron crew. This is the captain. We have lost a brother today. He stands in victory over a life of battle within the code. He will tread the stars through eternity. We remember him always, as we do a battle fought well. Speak with me, brothers,” Fabian said, his voice rising in celebration of the dead. “We remember our heroic dead.”

  The sound of the crew echoed through the ship as they joined the rites. Fabian knew he had a brave and fearless crew, and they were honorable and respected the code. Fabian spoke loud and clear as the body of his dead crew man moved into the airlock.

  “Strength and courage in battle. Loyalty to the clan at all times. Fight only those worthy of your might. Do not waste a warrior’s life needlessly. Take with pride and grace. Share in equal measure. Respect the offer of a white flag. Show mercy when necessary. Honor and legacy are your true wealth.”

  Fabian pressed the airlock release panel and the body of their fallen crewman raced away into the dark.

  “His fight is ended. Ours has just begun. Prepare for raiding operations. The Acheron is pursuing a Taddecu freighter. That freighter will be ours, won in honor and in the memory of our fallen brother. Combat leaders, report when your sections are ready. For the code.” Fabian shouted and the roar of the crew through the ship replied.

  “For the code.”

  Fabian marched back to the command post. The ship needed to be prepared, if this battle was going to be a success.

  Sergeant Burkhardt caught up with Fabian outside the command post.

  “Sergeant, I want this raid to go off without a hitch. Make sure those combat leaders are ready.”

  “Yes, captain,” Burkhardt said. He walked in step with Fabian.

  Stopping outside the command post Fabian turned to his sergeant. “Is there something else?”

  “It’s Wolfin,” Burkhardt said.

  “You two are like a couple of tigers in a pit. Can you just fight the Taddecu for a bit and not each other?”

  “It’s nothing like that. I’ve had some feelers out since she came on board. I’ve just had a message from an old friend in the Vazsoo collective command. Wolfin is general Jarl’s daughter.”

  That was the last thing Fabian expected to hear. He looked at Burkhardt for any sign that this was a joke.

  “Why didn’t she tell us already?” Fabian said. “She should have known she’d get the best quarters and the first choice at the attack order.” Fabian shook his head. “Do you still think she set us up?”

  “Maybe, or she wanted to get back at her father,” Burkhardt said.

  “I don’t think so, but I still don’t trust her.” Fabian stood his brain racing, the new information put a whole different twist on the landscape. ‘Later’ he said as much to himself as to Burkhardt. Fabian stepped into the command post. “Get those combat squads ready. I want reports from all combat leaders within the hour.”

  4

  Sitting in the command post and watching the hologram of the Taddecu freighter filled Fabian with excitement, the thrill of the chase with the promise of battle and reward. The freighter had no idea they were in his sights. He would be on top of them in a short while. His crew was ready and waiting for boarding operations. Fabian felt the first twinges of a smile, at the onset of imminent violence.

  The update on the freighters location was unexpected. They had changed course. Fabian studied the freighter’s flight path. It was possible that the freighter was following some prearranged flight path, or it might be that it knew the Acheron was on their tail and was evading them. The numbers weren’t good. The freighter was making a run for it. It could never escape the Acheron, it could only extend the chase. Fabian recalculated the time to intercept. It was too long. He messaged Burkhardt and De Sousa to come join him on the command post.

  De Sousa glowered at Fabian when he told the pair about the course change of the Taddecu freighter. The doctor checked the numbers himself.

  “As you can see,” Fabian said, leaning forward, his hands clasped together, “we will not catch them at our current speed before the air becomes toxic. We need to increase power to the reactor, and that means closing down the medical bay. I’m sorry doctor.”

  “It is murder, captain.” De Sousa said as he poured over the data looking for any way to extend the life of the oxygen recyclers and save the lives of the two wounded crew. “Murder, plain and simple.”

  “It’s not murder, doctor,” Burkhardt said. “We are saving the rest of the crew. For the many, doctor. We are doing this to save lives.”

  Fabian climbed down from his chair. “There is no other way.” he put a hand on the doctor’s shoulder. “I understa
nd your situation. You are sworn to do no harm to your patients. But I am sworn to protect my crew and the only way I can protect them is by taking that freighter. The only way we can do that is...”

  “Ok. Ok. Ok.” De Sousa held his hands in the air. “I get it. This is not the first time we’ve had difficult decisions to make, Fabian. I’ll do it.”

  Fabian patted De Sousa on the back gently. “No doctor,” he said heavily. “This is my responsibility. I’ll do it.”

  *

  The medical bay was silent save for the quiet beeping and hissing of the life support units. The wounded crewmen were unconscious and appeared to be in a deep and dreamless sleep. Fabian stepped between the two men. He knew them both. They had been in Fabian’s crew for a long time. Fabian knew he was losing two good men. He placed his hand on the head of the first and recited the code of violence as a whisper. Then he repeated the action with the same reverence and solemnity for the second. And once the rites were completed and without another moment’s hesitation he flicked the switch on the life support machine and ended the lives of the two respected crew.

  The machine stopped beeping and the ventilator fell silent. The only sound remaining was the hum of the Acheron’s reactor in the aft section.

  Fabian stepped over to the doctor. “If anyone could have saved them it would have been you. But we need that freighter.”

  De Sousa nodded. He had fought hard for the wounded, but he knew the importance of the freighter. “Don’t blame yourself, Fabian,” he said. “Let’s get that freighter and make their sacrifice worthwhile.”

  Fabian nodded in agreement. “Isolate the medical bay, doctor and seal the unit. I want full reactor power in the next five minutes.” He turned to leave the medical bay when Wolfin burst in shattering the calm.

  “Why am I not on the raiding party?” she roared.

  *

  Fabian walked back to the command post with Wolfin striding alongside him, complaining and arguing, growing more animated with each step.

  “I found the freighter. I deserve to be in the first wave of attack. You have no right to keep me out of the fight. I deserve my share of the bounty and how can I claim that sitting here on your ship.”

  Stepping into the command post and climbing up onto his chair Fabian could see from the data on the hologram projection in the command post that the Acheron was gaining on the freighter.

  “I will tell you simply, Wolfin. You are not including in the boarding party because I don’t trust you.”

  Wolfin’s jaw dropped and she gasped in amazement at Fabian’s bold accusation.

  “How dare you challenge my commitment to the mission,” she said as she leaned in close to Fabian, squaring off against her captain.

  “Why should I trust you?” Fabian asked, folding his arms back straithening. “The only mission you have had any involvement with turned out to be an ambush. You brought the orders to my ship and made us attack that transport. As far as I know you are a Taddecu spy.”

  Wolfin stepped closer to Fabian and she stood there, proud, brave, going toe to toe with her captain. “If I was going to betray you I would make sure you all ended up floating dead in space. I don’t think you know who you are dealing with.” She hissed through gritted teeth.

  Fabian climbed up onto his chair. “You are the general’s daughter.”

  Wolfin appeared momentarily stunned. She she nodded and then retorted with her confidence regained. “Yes, I am. And you had better treat me as such.”

  “This is my ship,” Fabian said. “I can treat you like any other member of my crew, and I would be surprised if the general thought differently.”

  “Put me in the raiding party,” Wolfin said coldly, her eyes penetrating deep into Fabian’s.

  Fabian shrugged. “Well ok. But I want you with me. I am going to keep a close eye on you.”

  5

  The Acheron closed in on the freighter. Fabian stood ready, dressed for battle. At the correct distance Fabian uploaded a Taddecu hail into the computer and cast it over to the freighter.

  “It’s a standard Taddecu hail. Requesting docking,” Fabian said to Wolfin. She was dressed for battle in a tight space suit with an extra holster for a secondary blaster and a strap of stun grenades crossing her chest.

  The return hail was received, and the docking program activated.

  “There. We will be docked in a few minutes. Doctor, the ship is yours. Take care of her.”

  De Sousa nodded. “I don’t mind playing captain, but are you sure I’ll give you command back when you return?”

  Fabian laughed. “I’m sure you will have had quite enough by the time we are done here.” Fabian opened a channel to the crew. “Stand by for boarding.”

  Sergeant Burkhardt drew his blaster. He checked the power cell and that the weapon was loaded. Then he slipped in back into its holster. “Ready when you are, captain,” he said.

  Fabian nodded and then left the command post. He led his team of sergeant Burkhardt and Wolfin to the lower cargo hatch. They stepped into the small space and Fabian closed them in. The air was expelled and then the outer hatch opened onto open space. With a series of hand signals Fabian instructed Wolfin to follow and for Burkhardt to bring up the rear. Then Fabian dropped out from the Acheron and activated his suits propulsion units.

  The Taddecu freighter was massive compared to the nimbler Acheron. The docking tunnel was being extended out from both ships and as Fabian landed gently on the hull of the freighter the docking tunnels met.

  De Sousa was meeting the Taddecu welcome party and acting as captain of the Acheron. Fabian needed to move fast. His communicator was open and he heard every word and every sound the doctor heard.

  The opening of the docking seal sounded heavy. Then Fabian heard the voice of Doctor De Sousa greeting the leader of the welcome party.

  Fabian opened a private channel to sergeant Burkhardt. “Keep a close eye on Wolfin. If she tries anything, kill her. We’ll deal with the fall out later.”

  Fabian looked back to the sergeant. Burkhardt gave a small salute to acknowledge the command.

  “But only if you are one hundred percent. Clear?”

  Burkhardt nodded.

  The sudden sound of blaster fire filled Fabian’s open channel with De Sousa. Then the sound of the docking hatch slamming closed. The message from the freighter sounded over Fabian’s open channel.

  “This is Captain Mc Cormack of the Taddecu freighter. I have taken your captain hostage. Stand down and surrender or I will enslave your leader and destroy your ship.”

  Fabian looked back at Wolfin and sergeant Burkhardt. He pointed at the entry hatch on the freighter’s hull with a renewed urgency.

  Wolfin and Burkhardt began cutting the hatch away with their laser cutters. Fabian messaged De Sousa. “Hang tight, doctor. We are nearly done.”

  De Sousa spoke in a wide band channel so the Acheron’s crew and captain McCormack of the Taddecu could hear. Fabian listened carefully.

  “This is the captain. Acheron. Stand down. Prepare to receive boarders. Offer no resistance.”

  The plan was going off without a hitch. The Taddecu had seen through the ruse to infiltrate through the main docking tunnel. They would not expect a small but determined raiding party to head straight for the freighter’s bridge.

  Burkhardt pulled the hatch away and offered the captain to infiltrate the Taddecu freighter first. Fabian dropped in through the hatch.

  The crawl space inside the Taddecu freighter was big enough for Fabian to crawl on hands and knees. He made room for Burkhardt and Wolfin to follow. Once all three were inside Burkhardt resealed the hatch. He gave a signal to Fabian that it was ok to proceed.

  The crawl space led to a corridor outside the freighter’s bridge. Fabian checked the area was clear and then dropped inside.

  The messages being relayed to Fabian from De Sousa informed him that the plan was progressing well. Most of the Taddecu mercs were inside the Acheron. The crew was hol
ed up in a few small compartments at the forward part of the ship and refusing to surrender.

  Fabian activated the map of the freighter on a small hand held hologram projector and displayed the route to the bridge.

  With a few silent hand signals Fabian instructed Burkhardt and Wolfin, they were ready to go.

  Fabian slid the door to the bridge open and Wolfin threw in a couple of stun grenades. Fabian slid the door closed and listened to the chaos inside. He opened the door onto a smoke-filled bridge. He walked inside, his blaster drawn and leading the way.

  Captain Mc Cormack had tumbled out of his chair coughing and sputtering. A few bridge officers were scattered around, most of them were writhing on the deck but some were stubbornly clinging to their control panels. Wolfin and Burkhardt went around and stunned each of the incapacitated Taddecu officers.

  Fabian stepped over the captain and pointed his blaster down at him.

  “Do you surrender your ship, captain,” Fabian said.

  Mc Cormack spluttered and nodded. Fabian sat in the captain’s chair and sealed all the inner doors. Then he sent a message to his crew.

  “This is Captain Fabian. I have taken the freighter’s bridge.”

  The cheer from the Acheron’s crew echoed along the docking tunnel and along the corridors of the freighter. Fabian vented the clouds from the bridge as Wolfin and Burkhardt secured the prisoners.

  “I am draining the air from the rest of the Acheron, captain,” De Sousa said to Fabian over an open channel. “The mercs should be unconscious within a few minutes.”

  “Secure them in the hold of the freighter as soon as you can, doctor. Fabian out.”

  Then a signal appeared on the display at the side of the captain’s chair. Fabian glanced at it, and then he realized the danger. A squadron of Taddecu fighters was incoming.

  “Fighters,” Fabian said.

  “How have they got here so fast,” Burkhardt said. “They must have been nearby and moved to assist.”