Klutch Zuma was indeed a Tibor with honor. He could have reneged on the shuttle’s ownership in light of surviving what might have been an otherwise fatal encounter. I could use his service and his shuttle.
“My survival and that of my crew was never a certainty. We may have fallen in combat had we not had your help. I relinquish any ownership you conveyed to me prior to our battle. It would be difficult to operate the flight systems without proper training. I propose an alternative solution to this problem. I could use a shuttle and an experienced pilot. I am willing to make you the same offer I made to my crew. Anyone I judge worthy of joining me receives a one million credit sign on bonus. Permanent crew members receive a onetime payment of four million credits for hazardous duty. The outcome of this mission was very much in doubt so I offered my crew two million credits upon successful completion of this operation. I now extend the same offer to you. You have proven yourself to be an honorable warrior and a worthy addition to my crew.”
I did not know what the Tibor was getting paid to guard this place. I’m sure it was a drop in a bucket compared to what I just offered him. It was an easy decision on my part to appeal to the mercenary’s need for cold hard credits. I also considered it a small price to pay for an insurance policy that might cover my naïve Earth boy ways.
It was time to let him know what I expected. “My mission is to hold criminals liable for their actions and trespasses against races unable to defend themselves. Those trespasses have occurred on my world for a millennium. I will bring those responsible to judgement and they will be held accountable. The probability this criminal activity is sanctioned by powerful members of the Galactic Union is high. This must stop because it is poisoning the leadership of many honorable races. This immoral infection is spreading throughout the galaxy. I have not been among the stars for long Troop Master but in that short time my enemies have become many and my allies are the few you see with me. The wealth I take from these criminals is shared with my crew and the rest will be used to expose the leaders of this corruption.”
I again worried about the credit valuation system I knew nothing about. The open-mouthed gape I was getting from Klutch was a little unnerving. I was beginning to think my long-winded righteous speech might have been way overdone and counterproductive. I brought my olfactory sensors back online to see if I could glean any information on his intent by any scent he might be exuding. I was getting no offensive odors, just the speechless display of his large gray pointy teeth.
He lost his look of astonishment and cast his gaze on the deck. “I am guilty of turning a blind eye to the operations on this station. I took their paltry pittance and sent most of the share to my clan. I have witnessed many things I knew were not righteous acts. My crew and I turned our backs to the activities that go on in this place. We had steady pay and enough left over to keep our shuttle maintained. We convinced ourselves they needed us to protect them from pirates out in this vacant locality. We were not allowed in the laboratories and stayed close to our shuttle. When the alarm sounded we were told the station was boarded by pirates. We could not understand how you gained access, but it was our paid duty to defend this station. That unquestioned loyalty cost the lives of four of my crew and the irreplaceable income to their clans.”
It was the same out in the galaxy as it was on Earth. Money could convince just about anyone to turn a blind eye to all most anything.
Klutch looked at me with determination in his big lizard like eyes. “My home world is a huge high gravity planet covered in beautiful oceans, lakes and forests. In order to live in the cities above ground you must raise the status of your clan to a significant level of prosperity. Many clans like my crew and I, come from the underground mining tenements a good portion of my race occupies. The tributes you have offered to my fallen crew and the compensation you have offered me will elevate our clans to the status of surface dwellers. No longer will our offspring be born into the permanent subterranean gloominess we have spent our lives enduring. Our children will grow and bask in the warm light of our star.”
“Remember Klutch Zuma, if you join me there will be no turning back. You will work for the good of all and never bend to the corrupt few who are poisoning this galaxy.”
The Tibor fixed me with a stare “I accept your offer and now pledge my allegiance to you and your cause. The life you have spared in combat is now yours to command. My service to you will only end when I perish into the void. By the honor of my clan I swear.”
I reached out and put my hands on the Tibor’s wide shoulders. “I need strong willed soldiers willing to do what’s right and what’s necessary to help those who cannot help themselves. If I fall in combat you are expected to take up my cause and finish what I have started. I need a good pilot to take us into difficult situations and get us out again. Go tend to your wounds while I check on my crew. The A.I. of my ship is monitoring all communications hail the station if you need to speak with me.
I headed down tube and back through the station. Everyone in the hangar needs to know who was in charge. There was also the matter of the remaining Sitch that could still be a threat. The beating I had taken from the mindless beast assured me I did not want to go through that again. As I entered the hangar I saw at least thirty Grawl stretched out on the floor in front of the hangar ramp and two Sitch standing outside of the ship.
“Nathan, I am picking up three cloaked Grawl on the far side of the ship hiding behind cargo crates. I believe Tril is among them. They may represent the supervisors in charge of this facility. Coonts has identified Rak as the Overmaster who perished in the control room. Prudence suggests the three cloaked Grawl are elevated to command authority and intend to do so should we leave this station.”
“Thanks for the heads up Justice I think I will have a talk with the new management.”
I calmly walked among the prone Grawl and drew my pistol and made a slow methodical show of dumping the empty brass on the floor. The clinking musical notes they made when they landed had Grawl slithering sideways to avoid the caustic smelling tubes. I slid six fresh rounds into the pistol and slammed the cylinder home with a flick of my wrist resulting in more slithering. Power and authority Myers, power and authority!
“WHO IS THE OWNER OF THESE SITCH I WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOU NOW!”
My abrupt outburst created a huge oval around where I stood. The Grawl slithered over each other like sardines stacked in a can. I was sure many had seen the battle in the hallway outside the lab. They were scared I would take vengeance upon them for it. I wanted answers and decided to reinforce their fears to get what I wanted.
“If I do not get an answer, I will open the hanger door and space you all!”
One of the Grawl closest to me said, “They are the slaves of enforcer Tril.” I suspected as much because they were trapped in the hold with him when Justice locked them in. I cast a wary eye toward the dangerous beasts.
“Where is Tril, I have little patience for your games so I better get an answer now!”
I turned and shot the cone shaped heads off of both Sitch. The explosive impacts showering a portion of the Grawl on the floor with Sitch gore. The large beast fell to the deck spewing fountains of murky blood. My actions prompted a loud moaning wail from the prone spectators.
I heard a scuffle coming from the back of the hanger and someone yelling, “Do not kill the scientist they have done no wrong! Here is the coward you seek, here is Tril.”
Two Grawl came around the front of the ship. They were dragging the still cloaked Tril who was screaming he would execute them for their betrayal. Everyone on the floor gave them a wide berth as the threesome stopped in front of me. The two on each side of Tril let go of him and plopped prone on the floor leaving the still cloaked Tril alone in front of me. The jerky movement of the Grawl’s cloaked power source had me thinking he might make a run for it. Reaching out I snatched him up and tucked him under my arm like a newspaper. I turned towards the labs with Tril screaming, “No, you ca
nnot do this to me!”
If I was a betting man, I would say several of the Grawl on the floor could use a bathroom after that little sideshow. I slapped Tril upside of the head to shut him up and told him if he did not uncloak I would make him eat his suit. He took the Earth saying to heart and uncloaked immediately.
“I spared the life of one of the Tibor you hired to protect this station. He was seriously pissed when he found out you dishonored his clan by hiding the fact you are criminals. He has been made aware you have been stealing artifacts from protected species and selling them for large profits. He is also aware you have been paying him jack shit while playing him for a patsy. I know you do not understand most of what I am saying, but I’m sure you figured out enough to know what the Tibor will do to you when he sees you. If you were to tell me what you did with the processing modules from the Legacy project, I might consider letting you live. I won’t ask again.”
The panicked Grawl exclaimed; “The ship command module and the shield module are in the security storage area below the command center. The weapons module and the dark matter drive module are in the security locker in the Overmasters office. His office is past the secure storage room at the end of the hall. If you did not know then you should have spared his life. Rak would have told you rather than die.”
I had to admit the Grawl piece of crap was trying to be helpful, but I was taking a serious disliking to the condescending tone of voice coming out in the translation.
“Do you have any idea how to deal with a furious Tibor when he decides someone has dishonored his clan? Maybe I’ll let you ask him so I won’t have to wonder about it in the future.”
I could see the Grawl’s face through his suit visor and his changing pallor indicated he was terrified at the thought. “That is not necessary I have cooperated with you, now release me!”
“We still have questions that must be answered before I can consider your request. The first is how to get into the Overmasters security locker.”
“His encryption key is on his wrist. What else do you require from me?”
I gave the Grawl an ominous smile then said; “There is another matter you will have to work out. It has to do with a Grawl that used to work here.”
With more indignation the Grawl said; “Bring him to me I am in charge of all personnel who worked at this station. These trivial matters should not take any more of your time.”
I put the Grawl down and said; “No problem, he’s in the storage locker. Coonts could you come here please, I have the Grawl who says he was your boss when you worked here.”
Coonts called back; “Yes Nathan, I know who you speak of. The scum I destroyed in my lab was named Arn and he took his orders from an even bigger piece of sewage named Tril!”
This was priceless, old Tril was pulling that nifty Grawl trick of turning bleach white just like Drayen did. Coonts came out of the storage room with the gravity jack in his hands. He walked down the hall and destroyed the door to Rak’s office with the jack.
“Tril go to the command center and retrieve Rak’s encryption key. I want you to open his security locker for us. If you take too long, the Tibor may take offence to your cowardice.”
I put the Grawl down and he ran to the lift tube. He stopped short when he saw the mangled corpses in the bottom of the tube. He turned and looked back at us. Coonts used the gravity jack to sling the shattered door to Rak’s office in his direction. Tril cloaked and disappeared up tube. If Tril didn’t show back up in a few minutes, I would have Justice tell Klutch he could deal with the Grawl however he wished.
Thinking Coonts would let Tril live was a misconception as I noticed him pulling his Grawl weapon from his suit. I was not sure what crimes Tril had committed but had no doubt what the penalty would be. I did not think Coonts was a cold blooded killer. I was thinking Arn was the first being the Grawl had ever killed. It made me shudder to think what offenses Coonts must have witnessed to make him want to put an end to Tril.
I was wondering what was taking Tril so long when I got the rude shock of him dropping from the down tube. He opened fire on me with a Grawl particle weapon. I was struck twice before I could bring my shotgun up but it was not necessary. Coonts cut the Grawl’s legs from beneath him with return fire from his already drawn weapon.
My armor shed the ineffective fire leaving me with nothing more than a really bad attitude. I watched as Coonts kicked the weapon out of reach of the wailing Grawl. The legs of Tril’s suit were burnt open exposing his charred legs. I thought this would be the end of Tril but was surprised when Coonts ripped the encryption key from his wrist. He stood over the begging Grawl, then turned his back on him and headed towards Rak’s office. I was giving serious thought to shutting up the piece of crap for his attempt on my life. His pitched squalling was irritating, and I decided I had heard enough. I was moving in the wounded Grawl’s direction when Klutch stepped out of the down tube. It took him a few seconds to assess what was going on. He limped over to the screeching Grawl and stomped his head flat, helmet and all. I suspected the atmosphere in the immediate area would be difficult to breathe and caught a whiff of confirmation. I closed the circuit to my olfactory sensors before I gagged.
Tria looked at me and gave an almost imperceptible nod toward Rak’s office. I turned and headed to the doorway. Tria took a sentry’s position beside the door and Klutch did likewise on the other. I went into the office and looked at the solemn faced Coonts. He uncrossed his arms and handed me the encryption key.
The little Grawl finally spoke, “I expected nothing less from the murderous Throgg. He deserved no mercy for the atrocities he has committed against harmless primitives.”
I did not have a clue what a Throgg was, but cuddly kittens did not come to mind. I took the key from Coonts as he pointed to a wall panel next to a large desk. It had a single diamond shaped indentation on the front of it. I put the key to the depression, and the door slid sideways revealing several items of interest. On a shelf in the top of the locker were two shiny silver cards. I knew they were credit vouchers, and I pocketed them. Along with the credit vouchers were four more encryption key bracelets. I discarded Rak’s locker key in favor of the new ones. Hanging in the back of the locker was a holster and belt with a smaller version of the Tibor capacitive discharge weapon in it. I handed it to Coonts and told him to ditch the Grawl varmint gun. Also standing upright in the back of the locker was a glossy black suit I noticed Coonts looking at in awe.
I pulled the suit from the locker and was surprised it was not heavier. I set it in front of Coonts. “Look what we got here Coonts, a fancy spacesuit, and it looks like your size.”
The Grawl slowly walked around the suit “Nathan Myers, this is a first generation stealth battle suit. It is a dated design, but is still one of the most advanced manipulations of artifact 699. It utilized flexible super alloys and nanite lamination processes available at that time. It has an onboard A.I. to manage all of its internal systems. It is capable of drawing its power requirements from most light sources. There have been whispers among the scientific and engineering networks a fourth generation suit has been developed. It is said to be the gear of the elite Galactic shock troops. The suits cost as much as an assault shuttle.”
“Spoils of war my friend, and it’s got your name on it. If the suit is everything you say it is, I want one for each of us.” The Grawl quickly nodded.
I did not know if Grawl could cry but Coonts sure had a look on his face I had never seen before. It only took him a few minutes to shed his old cloak suite. The stationary domed helmet system of the battle suit was bent forward hanging over the chest as he slipped into the large split opening in the back. The suit closed on its own and then the oversized dome folded back over and secured itself. I could no longer see any trace of the opening. At first the dome was solid glossy black but then turned clear and I could see Coonts face inside apparently talking to the A.I. He picked up the pistol, strapped it on, and headed out to the hall with a notic
eable strut. I hope his head does not get stuck in the helmet when it’s time to take it off.
18
I continued searching the security locker to determine if there was anything of use remaining. Down in the bottom of the locker was a glass case with a handle. I reached down and picked it up. Inside the case suspended in a clear liquid was a block of grey glass or possibly crystal. Upon closer inspection the block looked like it had hair all over it. The hair was swirling around in the liquid giving it the look of something alive and swimming. There was only one block, and I was pretty sure there was supposed to be two.
“Justice, I think I have one of your cores but there’s nothing else here. It seems we’re short one core. Unless one of the Grawl in the hangar knows its whereabouts, we’ve got a problem. We no longer have any management to answer questions for us.”
“Yes Nathan, I am picking up a strong return signal from my weapon systems AI core. I have no return signals from my auxiliary warp core. I am scanning the station for the false echoes and dead zones typical of scan resistant materials used to hide illegal cargo.”
“Justice, Tril called the missing core, a dark matter drive core, not an auxiliary warp core. Am I missing something or are we talking about two different systems?
“Nathan, the correct term would be dark energy hyper drive management system. Or DEHD core for short. With all cores in place the Legacy is capable of gathering massive amounts of power from the dark energy that is prevalent in the universe. The power is stored in the energy matrix woven into the materials used to construct this ship. With the energy matrix fully energized and the DEHD core properly synchronized, the energy can be precisely released creating a singularity. This vessel is drawn into the singularity field and transitioned to one of the infinite dimensions of interdimensional space. The singularity lasts several seconds and when it collapses this ship will occupy the preset coordinates of another location in this galaxy. It is theoretically possible to transition to another galaxy with the proper coordinates. The only noted shortcoming to the system is the time required to draw in the proper amount of energy. Once the matrix is energized, it takes fifty seven point two Earth minutes to accumulate the additional energy required to transfer an object the size of this ship.“
First of my Kind Page 22
