by Frank Carey
"Great..." He stopped and looked at Kryn as he had a disturbing thought. "Major, who's in charge of the family?"
"I am."
He stared at the speaker in shock. "Understood," he replied in disbelief.
"I am sending the coordinates of the message’s point of origin. Meanwhile, I'm arranging for backup."
Ranell drummed his fingers on the table for a moment before taking action. "Computer, have we received a set of coordinates from Space Patrol Command?"
"Yes, sir."
"Load them and engage at maximum speed. What will our ETA be?"
"Six hours travel time, sir."
"Understood. Give us a ten-minute warning before arrival."
"Yes, sir."
The view through the ports changed to the streamers of other-space.
"Sir?" Kryn asked.
"Major Canna is my aunt--my late father's sister. He was a beta male which makes her a non-related beta female. If she's in charge, it means the whole top-tier of my family could be in danger. Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless someone in my family is mounting a coup."
"Do you think that's possible?"
"I take it your mother isn't into this empire building thing."
"No. She's an artist and professor of art. She worries about painting supplies and grading students."
"My family is old school. My mother, has built an empire, and her sisters think they can do a better job running it.
"So, what do we do?"
"We go to those coordinates and reconnoiter."
CHAPTER FOUR
The Lynnea hung in space near a large rock while Ran and Kryn studied sensor and video feeds from several faux-rock probes they sent out the moment they arrived in the system.
As planetary systems went, this one was scraping the bottom of the barrel. An automated survey from ten years ago showed two gas giants and five asteroid belts which indicated a disaster had befallen the area during its formative years. The Claw was parked against a large rock in the Goldilocks zone several light-minutes from the Lynnea's current position. The probes showed no other ships within the range of their scanners.
"Like I said, a coup attempt. An outside force would have posted picket ships or monitor probes. Definitely an inside job." He tapped a control on the table. "Space Patrol Actual, this is Thinker on secure channel. Do you copy? Over."
"Thinker, this is Actual. Number two."
"Number two, aye. Star Vixen. I repeat, Star Vixen, over."
"Confirmed. Sitrep."
"Eyes on target. It's lonely, buy ID confirmed. Permission to take over a pie. Over."
"We have eyes. Permission granted. Good luck. Actual standing by."
"And there you have it."
"What was that bit about pie?" Kryn asked.
"According to the manual, the first rule of hostage negotiation is to bring pie."
"It is not!"
"Well, it should be. Yes, I know we're descended from carnivore apex predators, but I love pie and so does my mother."
"You are incorrigible, sir."
"Yep. Ready for this?"
"No, sir, but we should go."
"Yes, we should."
###
The Lynnea hovered above the Katalan Space Yacht Sata's Claw and waited while Ran tried to raise someone on the comm. After several unsuccessful attempts, Ran put the comm in standby. "Something's wrong, I can feel it. Ideas?"
Kryn tapped some keys on the copilot's console. "Scans of the ship's interior are coming up blank. Scans of the asteroid are being actively blocked. My guess is smugglers or pirates were using it as a base of operations and didn't want anyone to know."
"Detect any other locks?"
"Several personnel locks are hidden about the surface but only one cargo lock, which happens to be the one the Claw is attached to with her port lock. Can you access her computers and initiate a docking sequence with the starboard lock?"
"You want to enter the mine via the Claw?"
"Yes. Is that bad?"
"No. I just wish I had thought of it myself. Computer, open channel with Sata's Claw's central computer. Authorization Ranell Glent beta-116-inclusive."
"Working... Link established."
"Claw control, recognize Ranell."
"Recognized. Command?"
"Initiate starboard-side docking sequence."
"Initiating... Please connect at your convenience."
Ran moved the ship into place and gently touched the Lynnea's port-side lock with the waiting starboard-side lock of the claw. Moments later, they had a hard seal connecting the two ships to one another. "Gear up, LT. We're going a-visitin."
"Would it be rude if I went in armed?" she asked
"Not at all," Ran replied as he opened the arms cabinet and handed her a brace of pistols and a gun belt. "I hope this is your size.”
She donned the belt and buckled it before checking the weapons' load status. Satisfied, she put their safeties on before returning them to their respective holsters. Ran handed her four spare power packs which she placed in pouches attached to the belt. "Thanks."
Ran grabbed a brace of pistols for himself, and after checking them and grabbing spare packs, he closed and locked the cabinet. "Computer, lock down the ship. Release only on flight crew's voice print. Initiate."
The ship's lights dimmed except for the one over the airlock entrance. Ran looked through the lock's small inner-door inspection window and saw the outer door of the Claw's lock through the Lynnea's equally small outer door inspection lock. Frowning, he opened both of Lynnea's lock doors. "Maybe they weren't expecting us?" Kryn opined as she ran her hand over the surface of the larger ship's door.
"I thought sure I had RSVP'd." Ran reached down and activated the Claw's lock control panel. "All systems are functioning, and we have atmo beyond the door.” He pressed a button which opened the outer door. "What in the name of all that is holy," he said in shock. The walls of the lock were covered in red splashes, some in the shape of hands as if someone had smeared a bloody palm across the surface.
Kryn ran a scanner over the splotches. "Blood. Katalan blood."
"Try to match the DNA."
"To what, sir?"
"Mine."
Swallowing, she did as she was told. "Sir, it’s from a distant cousin of yours."
"Anybody in the database?"
"Moebius Kralst."
"Wonderful. A gunrunner," He scanned the area beyond the lock. "The scanner can't detect any life signs."
"That's good, right?"
"Only if whatever did this has life signs the scanner can detect. Computer, connect me with Actual on the emergency channel."
"Working..."
"Ran, it's Maya. What's wrong?"
He explained.
She gasped.
"Major, since you're running the family's business, can you find out what the hell the Claw was hauling other than Mother and her entourage?"
"Are you thinking something escaped and ate the crew?"
"Something like that. Kryn and I are going in. We'll keep you posted. Ranell out." He thought a moment. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
"Sure," she said as she removed her weapon from its holster and thumbed it to full power.
He hurried out, then returned a few minutes later with two pulse rifles and a pair of combat vests, each holding three large power packs. Behind him was a swarm of at least a dozen ratbots, one of which was carrying two control gauntlets. Ran took one, then handed a rifle, harness, and gauntlet to Kryn who donned the vest and device before checking her weapon. "Ummm. Fire power good!" she said in her best caveman voice.
"I'll open the door just enough to let the rats out. We'll go in once they've checked the ship."
"Good idea," she said while stepping aside to give the bots room. Moving aside as well, Ran keyed in a sequence of commands which partly opened the door. Once the bots had swarmed through, he sealed it then the two of them watched the probes'
progress on their command gauntlets.
CHAPTER FIVE
Major Maya Canna stared at the images on the screen and prayed for the safety of her family, especially her nephew. Try as he might, he was unable to break free of his family's machinations. It was as if he were doomed to suffer the sins of his forbearers regardless of how he tried to run away from them. A knock at the door signaled the arrival of Ran's backup teams. "Come!" she said loudly.
The door opened followed by two pilots, a Basili female Elf Marine Expeditionary Force master sergeant, and the darkest human Maya had ever seen. After a round of salutes, they got down to business.
"EMEF Colonel Titus King," the dark man said, "and this is my number two, Master Sergeant Mersa."
"Ma'am," Mersa said as they shook hands.
"This is Space Patrol Pilot Captain Trill," she said with a nod toward the Alturan officer, "and SPP Captain Antonia Dellius," she said, nodding toward the Olympian officer. "They will be your escorts, Colonel."
"We haven't been briefed, yet, Colonel. All we know is that this is a hot zone rescue mission."
Maya explained while she activated her office's large viewer and threw on it the data sent by Ran and Kryn as well as feeds from the ratbots they had sent in to reconnoiter the Claw's interior.
King whistled. "Is that blood?"
"Yes. DNA scans suggest it’s from at least a dozen individuals including several family members."
"Ma'am, what about alien DNA?" Mersa asked.
"None detected, so far." Maya replied.
"That's not good," Mersa said as she studied the readouts.
"Please share with the class, Master Sergeant," King asked.
"Yes, sir. It means that we're dealing with something that either doesn't bleed, or it can't be hurt by normal energy weapons. There is also the possibility that it may not even have identifiable DNA."
"Like a mechanoid?" King said.
"Possibly, though there have been no reports of mechanoids anywhere near that system."
"Master Sergeant Mersa is Team One's weapons specialist. Master Sergeant, recommendations?"
"Blasters, slug-thrower rifles, and concussion grenades. Yes, blasters are lighter and more versatile, but we may be dealing with something that is blaster-proof."
"Good... Shit!"
On the screen was something attacking a full-grown female Katalan. King looked down and saw a null-reading on the attending ratbot's life sign detector. "That damn thing is masking life signs,” he said in awe. As they watched, a series of energy pulses hit the thing's back, which it ignored. As it was about to deliver the coup de grace, someone grabbed it from behind and beheaded it with a sword.
"What the hell just happened?" Trill asked as she nervously chewed on a nutribar.
###
"Sir, are you all right with watching this?" Kryn asked as the bots found more blood pools. Each time a pool was found, the bots ran a DNA scan which the computer displayed on the main viewer. They were up to twelve when she saw Ran's blank stare.
"I'm fine, LT. Wait... Go back to bot eight."
She switched feeds. Bot eight was flashing warnings: life signs were zip, but visual sensors indicated two large life forms in front of it. "Sir, she's alive," Kryn said as the attacking life form moved to reveal a large Katalan woman. She was still alive, but not for long.
Ran slapped the airlock control and ran into the other ship with Kryn close behind. As she followed her commanding officer, she remembered to remotely close the Lynnea's airlock lest something decided to pay them a visit.
They ran into the room containing the creature and the woman and opened fire on her assailant, but their weapons had no effect on it. As it reared up to deliver a kill-blow, Ran saw a large sword hanging on the wall. Throwing his rifle aside. He grabbed the sword with his right hand and the thing's neck with his left, then in one fluid motion, he pulled the creature off the woman and beheaded it, all within a span of a few seconds.
Seeing the thing was dead, Kryn ordered the Lynnea's medbot to join them while she and Ran tended to the woman's wounds.
"Aunt Leia, stay awake," Ran said as he applied field dressings from the medkit. Meanwhile, Kryn grabbed a first aid package from her kit and placed it on the woman's sternum. The moment it touched her flesh, it fired small hypo sprays of life saving drugs into her system while sending medical readings to the approaching medbot.
"Ranell? Is that you? What happened to that thing?"
"Mother's sword made short work of its neck. Now, lie still. You've lost a lot of blood."
"Her and her antiques. You know how to use a sword?"
"He's rated a sword master at the academy, mistress," Kryn said. "His prowess with a blade is the stuff of legend."
Leia turned to look at Kryn. "You have wings..."
"A gift from my father while my mother gave me my eyes and smile."
Leia coughed just as the medbot arrived. It pushed Ran aside, took the woman’s arm and attached leads and tubes. Soon, Leia was asleep and breathing normally. A green light appeared on the front of the medbot. "We can move her," Ran said as he gently picker her up and placed her on the bot’s attached gurney. Grabbing the sword and his gun, Ran led them out of the room with Kryn acting as rear guard. As she passed the dead creature, she ordered the ratbots to retrieve the body and bring it back to the ship for examination.
CHAPTER SIX
Ranell watched his aunt as she rested in the medbed while it repaired her injuries. He had so many questions, and the only person who had the answers lay unconscious while a machine put her back together. As coups go, this one was a total cluster-plark. His thoughts were interrupted by the infirmary door opening and Kryn walking in.
"What news from command, LT?" he asked.
"The major is sending EMEF Stryker Team One and two patrol escorts. They'll be here in approximately six-hours. We have been ordered to stand-down until they arrive."
Ranell nodded. "Do they have any idea about what the plark we're dealing with?"
She handed him a folder. "It's not good. How's Lady Leia doing?"
"She hates that title. She's a street brawler like I was before I entered the service. Of my entire family, she's the only one I relate to and trust. As for her condition, she's on the mend. The bed estimates she'll be under for another twelve hours. I estimate she'll be awake in six."
"Why?"
"She's easily bored. Where'd you put our other friend?"
"Security Cell Three. I had Anne and Brendan install an exam table," she said referring to the ship's two rescue bots, each equipped with a variety of tools and weapons, and each able to switch instantly from biped to quadruped locomotion depending on the terrain and conditions. Though not sapient, they had an IQ somewhere between dog and dolphin.
"Have the rats finished their sweep of the Claw?"
"Yes, sir. I re-tasked them to do a visual-only search. They didn't find any other survivors."
"How many dead?"
"Computer estimates approximately twelve individuals, all of whom are distant relatives of yours."
"Computer, notify us of any change in my aunt's condition." He shook himself free of the tableau in front of him, then turned to the door. "Let's go look at our friend."
The first thing he noticed when he entered the room was the smell--ammonia and lots of it. "Did it smell like that before we killed it?"
"You didn't notice? It was worse, but the scrubbers have cut it down considerably. The computer thinks it has to do with its metabolism."
"What does command think?" he asked while picking up the creatures head off the table and looking into its eyes.
"It is some sort of bat, though unlike anything ever recorded. Anomalies in its genome suggest it was either genetically modified or the product of generations of selective breeding."
"It's a weapon?"
"That's the consensus. It's nervous system and dermis are both blaster resistant."
"Which leaves us slug throwers and kine
tic energy weapons."
"Sir, you did hear the part about standing down, didn't you?"
"LT, you're standing down. I'm going off the reservation."
Kryn rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You're going to run willy-nilly into a hollowed out asteroid to save your family from an unknown number of giant, blood-drinking, flesh-eating, blaster-proof, mutant bat-things and you're going to do it alone... Sir."
"LT, did anyone ever tell you that you can suck the fun out of a situation? I am about to violate orders and possibly get killed in the process, and you want to join me?"
"Sure. I love hunting mutant death bats. Some would call it a hobby."
He looked at her and flicked his tail. All Katalans had tails, and like elves, a lot of information traveled through them. Kryn's tail was similar except for the blade at the end, a blade used to help her steer in flight. He rubbed his brow. "Gear up. Let's go indulge your hobby and find my family. And Kryn?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Thank you."
She smiled. "You're welcome, sir."
###
Re-armed with kinetic energy weapons, the two Space Patrol pilots waited just inside the last door separating The Claw from the interior of the asteroid. Standing around them were two-dozen ratbots ready to enter the facility and find the missing passengers and crew of Sata's Claw. Ran tapped a control on his Gauntlet. "This is Space Patrol Captain Ranell Glent on Emergency channel calling anyone from the KSY Sata's Claw. Do you read? Over?"
Silence, so he tried again.
A faint, scratchy, static-filled reply came over the comm. "Ranell? Is that you? It's Sata."
"LT, trace this," Ran said to Kryn. "We need a location fix."
"On it,” she replied.
"Yes, mother, it's me. What's your situation?"
"There... Twenty... Thing outside door... Hurry..." the rest of the message was lost in static before cutting off completely.
"Mother? Come in, Mother, over... Nothing. Did you get a fix?"
Kryn pointed to her right at an angle. "Bearing 78 degrees, azimuth zero degrees, range one point six kilometers."
Ran nodded. Taking a breath, he slapped the door control. "Move!" he yelled to the rats as the massive hatch rolled to the side. A scream greeted them as the bots swarmed outward. Hanging from the ceiling by its double-articulated center claws was a bat, one much larger than the one he killed inside the ship. It dropped from its perch and flew toward them but died in mid-flight from a single round from Kryn's battle rifle.
