OMEGA Rescue

by Stephen Arseneault

  Moortim Blon replied, "Management of our current portfolios will require a substantial amount of our time."

  Galat Carhe smiled. "We have a ship that can travel between galaxies. There are a thousand worlds in the old Alliance with gates that can be taken and used to spread the corporation beyond this and those galaxies. We have competent managers in place who can run our sectors with precision and efficiency, just as they have done with our colonies.

  "With billions of galaxies waiting, I believe we have no choice but to involve ourselves in conquest. Who's to say that some other species with portal technology, sitting in a nearby galaxy, isn't preparing to take what is ours? We must move while we have the opportunity."

  Vagra nodded. "I have had the same thoughts. A fleet of portal ships, followed by many fleets of AI ships, would be unstoppable. There are many thousands of Tamarin, trained in the ways of capitalism, who would be willing to take on governance roles in newly-acquired territories. I believe we should begin to organize management teams to oversee this effort."

  Moortim Blon concurred. "It is decided then. I have two individuals I would like to contribute to this planning team. They have served me well and would jump at such an opportunity."

  Vagra reached to the small round table, raising a platinum chalice. "Gentlemen. To our continued expansion and profit."

  As the other two members of the Triad raised their glasses in agreement, a wormhole portal opened beside them, sweeping across, leaving the three Tamarin rulers sitting in their chairs on the deck of the Ares docking bay.

  Joni pulled one of the remaining stealth tags from a pocket on her suit, placing it on a wall of the tower room.

  The Tamarin rulers glanced around the docking bay with stunned looks on their faces.

  Go raised a blaster. "Gentlemen... welcome to your new reality."

  Vagra stood. "What is the meaning of this? Where are we?"

  Jack stepped forward with a surly expression on his face. "You are now assets of the AMP. So we're either going to have productive meetings or you will be determined to be useless assets. You do know what happens to useless assets, don't you?"

  Go smirked. "I know this one. They're written off, done away with, or recycled."

  Go waved his blaster menacingly. "Any of you feel like being recycled?"

  Vagra sat. "What is it you want? Credits? We can make you wealthier than you've ever dreamed."

  Jack shook his head. "We aren't interested in your stolen credits."

  Joni popped into view. "What we want is a person you took from us. His name is Garrett Rourke. He was pulled aboard one of your ships. He fell unconscious after he was drugged."

  Joni stepped forward, shoving the blaster tip of her weapon into the ear of the Tamarin leader. "Have you ever seen what a cabbage looks like after it's been hit with a large mallet?"

  Vagra replied, "No."

  Joni smiled. "It's a mess. And a blaster bolt to the head is a much bigger mess. So tell us what you know about the whereabouts of Garrett Rourke. And if you say you know nothing, well, I think that makes you the useless asset that Mr. Carson was talking about."

  Joni pressed with the blaster. "Where is he?"

  Vagra slowly held up his hand. "I can assure you I have no knowledge of this Garrett Rourke. However, I have a brilliant staff of individuals who can find him if he is within our space."

  Galat and Moortim each nodded in agreement.

  Joni shook her head. "You control the portal ship currently in your possession. You will contact your staff, and they will bring Garrett Rourke to Tasia. In fact, they will bring him to the same room we took you from."

  Joni again pressed with her blaster. "Understand?"

  Vagra nodded. "If I might make use of my comm to relay that message, perhaps we can clear this issue from before us."

  Jack leaned forward. "We'll handle the comms. Knog, have you moved us away?"

  I replied, "We are well outside the comm range of the Tamarin worlds."

  Jack said, "Here is what we're going to do. You, Vagra, will tell me the channel you use to comm with your chief of staff. I'll give them a call and we'll talk them through what's needed."

  Vagra held up the band on his wrist, pressing several buttons before offering a reply. "G-44-778-QW-331 using your New Alliance English as a channel basis."

  Jack entered the channel ID, patching a comm through the stealth tag Joni had left in the tower. Several seconds passed before a face stood before a comm camera.

  A Tamarin businessman answered, "Mr. Withers. How might I be of assistance?"

  Jack opened a video stream. "Mr..."

  Vagra said, "Jans Hurrik."

  Jack continued, "Mr. Hurrik. We have Mr. Withers, Mr. Blon and Mr. Carhe here with us. I'm told that you either know or can find the whereabouts of a Human named Garrett Rourke. Mr. Withers would like for him to be brought to the fiftieth floor of tower two on Tasia. Is that something you can accomplish in short order?"

  Jans Hurrik replied, "I take my tasking from Mr. Withers and only Mr. Withers."

  Jack turned his camera to face the captured Tamarin ruler.

  Vagra said, "Mr. Hurrik, it is important that you locate the individual named Garrett Rourke. Bring him to the second tower as Mr. Carson asks. He is to be unharmed, conscious, and cognitive when he arrives. Please expedite this task, Mr. Hurrik. We have pressing business that needs our attention and need this matter wrapped up quickly."

  Jans Hurrik slowly bowed. "I will assume this task in full, Mr. Withers."

  I pulled up an image of Garrett, passing it through the comm. "This is who you are looking for. And you'd better make this happen fast, it's costing your boss a lot of credits."

  Vagra stood as the comm channel was closed. "You should not have offered that last statement, Mr. Carson. It was a sign of weakness and desperation. There are those who will attempt to take advantage should they become aware of our situation."

  Go smiled. "All the more reason for you to cooperate, Mr. Withers. Your whole corporation lies in the balance over this one man. Find him and you might just find yourselves back in the tower."

  Moortim Blon said, "Allow me to contact my chief of staff. We can use him to verify the task assumed by Mr. Hurrik is being properly carried out."

  Galat Carhe raised his hand. "I have an assistant as well."

  Vagra scowled as he sat. "How quickly we turn on each other."

  Galat replied, "You signed a contract to protect the three of us. I believe this situation places you in breach of said contract. Would you deny us our just due with regards to insuring this situation... is being handled properly?"

  Moortim said, "Yes, I am in agreement. I believe this warrants an intercession on our part. Mr. Withers, I—"

  Jack cut in, "Can it! If this Hurrik guy can't come through, the two of you will each get your chance. Let's all hope for Mr. Withers' sake he finds the man we're looking for. Now, the three of you come with me."

  I watched over Joni's comm as the three Tamarin rulers were prodded along by Go. Three separate rooms were opened and the Tamarin shoved in. Go pulled a chair from a fourth room, setting it in the hall near the captives.

  Go began to sit as Jack tapped him on the shoulder. "Not you. You get to hang out on the bridge in case Knog needs you for sweeping duty."

  Joni stood behind them. "He's right. Jack, you take the first twelve, I'll take the second."

  Go said, "What if they can't find him?"

  Jack smiled. "If Vagra's guy can't find him, we make sure the cronies of the other two can. And I think I know how to get that done."

  Go and Joni soon joined me on the bridge.

  Joni plopped down in a chair. "If they don't produce him, I say we open a portal and sweep each of those towers out here into space. We'll see who wants to govern then."

  Go thought then nodded. "We could wipe out most of their leadership with a couple button presses."

  I replied, "We don't want to risk retribution for our people
at this point. If we take out the political caste, we might end up putting the military in charge."

  Darba said, "You do not want to do that. They would be happy with killing any who resist rather than attempting to cajole them with the potential of profits. The military will not be reasoned with. Their decisions are based on immediate goals without taking into account the longer term capital or social costs."

  Joni replied, "We can take out the military leadership just as easily. Speaking of that, why aren't we doing that now?"

  I turned to face Joni. "As I said, we do not want to start a war where our people are put at risk. If the intent of the Tamarin is only to manage the Alliance as a resource, it gives us time to plan for their overthrow."

  Joni stood, "I'm heading down to talk with my father and uncle. If anything changes just let me know."

  Go looked over at me. "So, what do we do in the meantime?"

  I replied, "We wait."

  Chapter 4

  * * *

  With time on my hands, I left the bridge to check on Joni as she talked with her family. When I arrived, I was surprised at how casual and relaxed Harden and Joseph Salton looked. I began to wonder if the time away from the stress of empire had done them good. I wondered if perhaps I could use some of that time away as well.

  Harden said, "Knog! I'm so glad you came down here today. Joni has been filling me in on the happenings. I understand you are holding the members of the Tamarin Triad on this ship. If so, I would like to offer my services for the interrogation. I'm certain you have an understanding of my vast experience in that field. If the Tamarin have knowledge you are interested in having, I can get it for you."

  Joni stood. "I'll head up and keep Go company."

  I shook my head at Harden. "I think we are doing just fine in that category. Our bigger concern right now is how to secure the portal gates so the Tamarin don't build more of the portal ships. There are thousands of gates out there, and they will attempt to make use of each and every one of them."

  Harden rubbed his chin. "I would suspect the only way to accomplish that task is to destroy each of the gates. It would be a tremendous loss, but the alternative is far worse."

  Harden sat back in his chair, crossing his legs and folding his arms in his lap. "You know, it was my father who discovered the secret of controlling the portal gates. That stationary gate we were using to travel between galaxies, his researchers and engineers put that together. I merely inherited his work."

  I asked, "And the portal ships?"

  Harden smiled. "Oh, I take full credit for those."

  Harden looked at where Joni had been sitting. "Unfortunately, unforeseen events changed our well-laid plans. I have been unable to get Jo Jo to reveal to me how you were able to take this ship. We studied the logs of all the nearby ships at the time the Ares was taken, and there was no evidence of an external approach. Do you have a portal of your own? If so, how did you come by it?"

  I had to reply with a half laugh. "You just don't stop do you? Always trying to work the angle."

  Harden sighed. "You must admit, had I been successful in my campaign, the AMP would be fully reunited. And these new galaxies would be there for the taking. Imagine the resources and wealth that would be brought to our colonies. Our people would have prospered."

  I shook my head. "Your problem is you are hooked on the grandeur of building an empire, and not on the responsibility of taking care of your people. You already had tremendous resources and wealth available to you. And yet you chose the path to war. A path that was at the expense of whole colonies. If it wasn't for your niece's pleas to the rest of us, you would have been executed for your crimes."

  Harden leaned forward. "You dislike me, Mr. Beutcher. That's understandable. However, what you are not seeing is... I am a valuable resource, a resource you now have in your possession. Make use of my experience and genius to overcome these Tamarin. Allow me to run this campaign for you and I will have the Tamarin begging at you feet in only a short while."

  I returned a half smile at the gall of Harden Salton's suggestion. "I don't think—"

  Two of Hardens henchmen had slowly circled behind my location. A quick charge by one knocked me from my chair while the other dove on top of my sprawled out body. The two Humans, even though strong for their Human size, had no idea of what fighting a Grunta would be like. Their feeble actions showed how poorly prepared they were.

  I spun my upper torso, catching the Human on my back in the jaw with a hard elbow. As he fell to the side, the second henchman jumped on top of me. I quickly rolled out of his grasp, spinning back around to catch his fist in my much bigger hand as he swung for the back of my skull. A quick punch broke his nose, also shattering an eye socket as his head snapped backwards. I stood, grabbing the second henchman by the shoulders and lifting him up to my chest as I ran forward, driving him hard into a near wall. The Human attacker slumped to the floor.

  I turned to face Harden Salton. "You offer help and then attack?"

  Harden shrugged. "I'm trapped here while imbeciles are taking control of my empire. What would you have me do?"

  I stepped forward, leaning my head down until I was just in front of Harden Salton's face. I growled my meanest growl and offered what I considered my most intimidating face.

  Harden Salton didn't flinch.

  Seconds into my attempt at intimidation, Harden waved his hand and turned his head to the side. "Perhaps a breath mint would help with that awful smell. I find that hygiene is an important trait in a leader when communicating with others."

  I stood straight. "Perhaps one day I will have the pleasure of slamming you into a wall like your friend over there."

  I returned to the bridge.

  Joni was sitting in a chair. "I watched that whole episode on the display. Thank you for not taking it out on my uncle. When this is all over, I'll have to drop them on a remote colony where they can't cause trouble."

  I replied, "I don't know if such a place exists."

  Joni smiled. "Maybe we can park him on Gratis. I would say Maxell, but the radiation levels there aren't conducive to long-term living. Anyway, I'll put him where we can keep him in check."

  The remainder of the day slipped by with no word from Jans Hurrik.

  The following morning a comm call came in from Vagra Withers' chief of staff. "I have been through each of the connections I have. There has been no word of a Human having been taken prisoner. It's possible this was done by the AIs and we were not informed. They do operate in a somewhat autonomous fashion."

  I said, "So you are saying you have no word for us?"

  Hurrik nodded. "I have a number of operatives attempting to locate Garrett Rourke. I haven't received any information regarding his whereabouts or that he was even picked up by our people. We will continue to look."

  I walked down to Jack as he sat in the hallway. "No word from Hurrik."

  Jack nodded. "I heard. I think we take this to phase two. I'll bet the associates of Mr. Blon and Mr. Carhe will be eager to take this on. Give me a minute and I'll convince them of the importance of results."

  Jack stood, walked to the door of the room holding Vagra Withers and entered with a smile.

  Seconds later Vagra could be heard yelling. "I will not tell you anything!"

  The door opened and a panicky Vagra Withers was escorted out by Jack Carson. A hand was clasped tightly over his mouth as he was moved down the hall and around the corner to another room. Jack returned, smiling as he reentered the room.

  Jack yelled, "This is your day, Vagra! Your twenty-four hours is up! We told you there would be consequences!"

  Two loud thuds spoke of a blaster being discharged. I rushed into the room.

  Jack held a single finger up in front of his lips, speaking softly. "I thought those other two might need a little extra incentive. If they think Vagra is dead, they will make every effort to have Garrett safely returned to us."

  Jack walked to the second room, pulling the door open
hard as he stormed in. "Mr. Blon. Give me a channel ID to your chief of staff. You now have twenty-four hours to produce our friend."

  Moortim Blon stood with a pensive look on his face. "I will do my best to see that your friend is found, Mr. Carson."

  Jack opened a comm, allowing the commands to be given by the second member of the ruling Tamarin Triad.

  A quick trip into the third room had Galat Carhe convinced that it was in his best interest to do the same. A short chat started the ball rolling.

  Jack closed the door, turning back to face me with a smile. "If we don't hear something about Garrett in the next twenty-four hours, I don't think these Tamarin have him."

  I returned to the bridge.

  Darba said, "Mr. Withers would have known. Perhaps a trip to the planet's surface for dangat root is warranted."

  I replied, "We'll let this play out for another day."

  Go said, "Not to change the subject, but we're down to 30 percent on our fuel reserves."

  Quan replied, "If all goes well, I will have a cesium processor operational later today. I will begin readying a supply of fuel for the Ares, Stinger, and Thorn."

  I stood and made my way back down to the holding room containing Vagra Withers.

  I stepped in, closing the door behind me. "Mr. Withers. I have a question for you about the AIs. Where are they manufactured?"

  Vagra Withers replied, "Prior to our taking control, the Grotus and the Kergans each had their own AI manufacturing facilities. Those have all been consolidated into a single location. On our star maps you will see a planet named Fiklun. The manufacturing is done there. We can't afford to allow anyone else access to the AIs, so they are all built and managed from there. Ship factories are spread throughout the many worlds we possess."

  I opened a comm to Joni. "You want to go and stop the AI production?"

  Joni replied as she blinked in. "I'm right here behind you. And yes, at least that will move us forward as we wait. You know me; I don't like sitting around if there's work to be done."

  I stepped back out into the hallway. "Jack? Take the Thorn. Go with Joni and let’s see if we can stop the AI production."