by Jo Carey
"My adopted family formed a music group that travels the rim stations in an old transport ship and their engineer quit. They need someone to maintain the ship and their equipment. I think Tobath would be perfect.”
"I would be honored, but would they accept a member of the Martok race?"
"Out on the rim the only thing they care about is that you clean up your slime trail. No one would give you a second look."
He turned to Arriska and said, "You know this means we may never see each other again."
"You will be safe, and someday I will be Queen. I am not worried."
"Director, what about papers and such?"
"Relay, I'll make sure he has everything he and your sister needs," Ciara said as she stepped away for a moment to call Protector.
"I don't get why Wren is so afraid of her. She seems nice," Relay said as he stopped and listened to his radio. "Ms. Laeren, Captain Thurgood would like to speak to you." He reached into his pack and pulled out a headset with a microphone. She put it on, smiling at Relay. "Such a nice youngster." She listened for a while before nodding. "Yes, we'll be waiting. Thank you, Captain.” She handed the headset back to Relay.
"Captain Neeruk!"
"Yes, mistress," Neeruk said as he and his first officer ran up from where they were standing. They had been talking with Sarge and the Leader of the Protector Marines.
"Have the crew clear landing spaces for three shuttles. They'll collect the dead and wounded hijackers."
"Yes, mistress," he replied as he and the first officer gathered the crew.
Ciara returned and said to Tobath, "It's all set. You're coming with us. Arriska, our contact in your government informs us the Queen agrees with our solution. John, the other ships have arrived and are lining up shuttles to take the dead. We have other problems."
"What now?"
"We found the Erdexi hiding in a closet. He was making his way to the Engine Room intent on blowing up the ship. Keelan is talking to him," Ciara replied.
"Okay, that could be a problem," he said as he saw the looks in Arriska's and Laeren's eyes. "What else?"
"The Tralaskan survivors have renounced their League citizenship. We can't take them back for trial because we don't have jurisdiction. None of them have asked for asylum."
"They're prisoners of war," Laeren said with utter finality. "They attacked a ship of the Sovereign Martok Empire and kidnapped their young. The penalty is death."
"Laeren, please, don't do this," John pleaded. "This is what they want: martyrs for the cause. They’ll use this to force a wedge right through the middle of the League and lead to war between your people and ours."
"I'm sorry, but my recommendation to the Queen will be for immediate death. Please, excuse me," she said.
"I must go with her. We'll talk before you leave," Arriska said as she embraced Tobath.
"Arriska, my Queen, please think about John's words," Tobath said to his once mate. "Once the deed is done, we cannot turn back."
"They attacked the High-Born of Martok. They must die," she said as she turned and walked away.
"Arriska," Tobath said, his heart weighted down with sadness. "Goodbye."
She looked at him and lifted her royal chin before turning and following her teacher off the Shuttle Bay deck. John, Relay, and Ciara looked at each other in shock as Tobath stood there, quiet, unmoving. "Director, I would like to return to your great ship on the next shuttle, one with the dead aboard. It is fitting since Tobath, engineer son of Engineer Sabath, is now, himself, dead as those bodies being loaded." He looked at the three People and said, "We're all going to die from this stupidity." He then walked over to one of the waiting shuttles.
"Ma'am, sir, excuse me," Relay said as he walked away, shaking his head in disbelief for he knew he and the other Space Marines would be the first to die if war breaks out between the two sides.
"John, Cuutoh is on final approach. Gloria is staying to help with cleanup and Serena has moved all the bots to one spot in the Bay. Any goodbyes you want to make before you leave?"
He looked around and realized all he wanted to do was get away from all this death and insanity. He wanted to return to his lab and build things to save people, not kill them... "No, let's just get the hell out of here." Nearby, the Cuutoh landed, ready to take them home.
CHAPTER THRITY-EIGHT
Protector moved through FTL space as plasma streamers passed around its hull. On the Bridge Ange walked from station to station, deep in thought about the events of the day. Her official log shows a final count of fourteen hijacker ships destroyed defending the Arriska including the one explosives-laden ship they slung into space. Aboard the thirteen crewed ships, twenty-six dead. No Protector crew killed or injured. Aboard the Arriska, fifty-two hijackers dead, killed by League fire. No Martok killed and no League lives taken by Martok, at least not yet.
"Ma'am, I've been monitoring communication channels between the Martok and Government World and things are getting heated," Communications reported.
"How heated?" the captain asked.
The Communications Officer flicked a switch which routed the comm channels to the Bridge intercom system voices demanding the release of the prisoners intermingled with other voices demanding retribution for the damage done to the Arriska by the hijackers. Then there was silence."
"What happened?" the captain demanded.
Comm checked her systems and said, "Ma'am, both sides just stopped."
"Sensors, full scan to two light-years. Mr. Kyne, bring the ship to Condition Two. Comm, contact the other ships and tell them we are going to Condition Two."
Numerous "Aye, Captain" responses filled the silence.
"We are at Condition Two, ma'am," Kyne said as weapons and shields energized and were manned by minimal crew.
"Where are we, Kyne?"
Kyne checked the astrogator. "Our task force is just now entering League space. Ma'am, we have company." He brought up the tactical display on the screen which showed their seven ships moving toward a group of twenty ships.
"Identify."
"Tralaskan Ships of the Line, ma'am. Half the Tralaskan Space Fleet is out there."
"Comm, open a channel, Priority One."
"Aye, Captain, you’re on the line with Admiral Reese Torqua, Tralaskan Space Navy."
"Admiral, what's up, you old war horse? Have you come to escort my little group?"
"Angie! So, you're the one they sent. Did the ships' crews die well?"
"Aye, sir. All with what honor I could give them under the circumstances. Sir, they were trying to kill a ship full of students, not to mention start a war. I beg of you, return to Tralaska."
"Ma'am," the Communications Officer said, interrupting her conversation with the Admiral, "emergency communication from Government World."
"Put it on and tie in the Admiral."
"Aye, Captain."
"Government World, this is Capt. Thurgood."
"Captain, I suggest you tune your receivers to Space Command channel six."
"Do it," Ange ordered.
The screen shimmered as the image changed to one of an empty shuttle bay.
"Pipe this through the ship, Comm."
"Aye, Captain."
As they watched, the remaining Tralaskan prisoners walked and stood in a ragged line. In a moment the Erdexi, Vreen joined them, severely beaten and barely able to stand. They stood there, defiant in their belief in their superiority. They stood that way right up to when the bullets ripped through their bodies. The camera pulled back from the carnage and panned left until two Martok came into view, one a young female, stood silent in shock. Next to her stood another female, who was much taller, older, with a small crown on her head and four arms, each holding a wicked looking spear.
"I am Narriska," the tall one said, "Queen of the Martok, and this is our justice for all who defy us. Heed this warning or perish. The choice is yours and yours alone." Then the feed went dead.
The Bridge crew went silent as the shock of th
e execution rippled through each and every one of them as the screen switched back to the Admiral.
"Angie, why don't you and your little task force join us?"
"Reese, for the love of God. Don't do this. Turn around, come back and we'll figure this out together."
"No can do, little one. I answer to Tralaska and my orders are to destroy those bastards if they execute the prisoners. Sorry you can't come with us. It will be glorious," he said before the link went dead. "Reese," she whispered as the ships flew past to meet their destinies.
"Ma'am, our orders are to proceed to the Cube for debriefing. The League and the Martok are at war," the Communications Officer said.
"Comm, signal the task force. Helm, Set course for the Cube, best possible speed. Kyne, set the ship to Condition Three."
"Yes, Captain," he said, his orange eyes glowing.
###
Inside the Cube’s largest secured lounge, the officers and crew of the Protector waited for their captain and first officer to return from a high-level meeting they had been called to the moment the Protector docked. Everyone in the lounge was acutely aware of the security officers guarding the entrances to the lounge.
“Commander, any idea about what’s going on?” one of the network systems techs asked Billy Thurgood.
“I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out when command wants us to find out,” he replied. This can’t be good, he thought to himself.
Ange and Kyne entered the room. Billy yelled, “Attention. Captain in attendance,” as he went to attention.
The two senior officers walked to the podium set up at one end of the room. “At ease,” Ange said. “People, the shit has hit the fan, and we’ve been tasked with cleaning up the mess.” She stopped and looked out at the crew, some of whom had been with her since the Battle of Pendar when, as a lieutenant, she played chicken with a battle-tested Goranthi admiral and won. New or old, they were her crew.“Kyne and I are going on a mission, one which we may not return from. I need volunteers…”
Every person in the room took a step forward.
“Don’t you even want to hear the mission details?” she asked.
“If I may speak for the crew, ma’am, the answer is we don’t need details. You’re going, and Mr. Kyne is going, so we’re going. To do otherwise would be unseemly, ma’am, and we can’t have that.” the chief engineer said.
“Damn, I love you people,” Ange said.“OK, then. Get back to the ship and prepare for immediate launch. I will brief you all once Protector is in other-space. Dismissed.”
The crew stood at attention, then saluted her, Kyne included. She returned the salute and the room broke into applause.
The die had been cast. It was now up to them to make sure they didn’t crap-out.
<<<<<>>>>>
About Frank Carey
Frank Carey has been formally writing and publishing works of science fiction since late 2013. Over the years prior, he had dabbled in various forms of writing including haiku poetry, but that all changed when he and his wife, Jo, decided to try their hand at writing and self-publishing. All his work, to date, has been in the science fiction genre.
Most of his stories take place about two centuries in the future when Earth joins the League of Planetary Systems. Many of his protagonists are strong females. He is an inveterate pantser who believes the story will go where the story wants to go.
Frank’s background includes degrees in physics and extensive work as a scientific programmer and technologist.
Frank and his wife produce a podcast—Xtreme Self-Publishing—which details their self-publishing efforts.
Frank can be reached through his podcast at xtremeselfpublishing.podbean.com or via e-mail at [email protected] or [email protected]
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CHAPTER FORTY
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
