“Where’s the shuttle Coonts?”
“Third from the end on the right side Commander!”
Crap, this docking arm was for small craft and it was a long way to the end!
Justice came over the comms and the volume of his speech was unusually loud. “Commander, be advised I am picking up security drone emanations! I now have readings on six mechanized security units that are going active in search mode. Commander, all security units are now moving at high speed to intercept you!”
“COMMANDER TAKE COVER AND ALL PERSONNEL MUST ININIATE GRAVBOOT LOCKDOWN NOW!”
I don’t recall ever hearing Justice raise his voice but doing so was making my bowels gurgle.
We all jammed against an airlock door and locked our boots to the deck. I looked down the tube and then jerked my head back as the walls and floor near us started exploding from hostile fire. Man we were screwed! Klutch and I were shielding Tria and Coonts from the fragmentation of the shells and pieces of flying deck, we were taking a beating. I got stunned by a flying piece of something about the size of a dinner plate and did not know if we could stay in this spot much longer. I was seeing two Klutch’s beside me when everything whited out from a tremendous flash and we were jerked violently sideways. When my vision started to clear, I saw debris floating everywhere and the entire docking arm was at a bizarre angle to the station. There was another blinding flash and my gut told me we were spinning in free fall. As my vision came back, I could see the outpost coming and going as the entire docking arm slowly spun away from the outpost.
“Justice, please tell me the crazy security drones were the ones who blew the freaking docking arm off of the outpost.”
“Commander, I will attempt to stabilize your rotation so it will be possible to make your way to the shuttle.”
“Justice, you just flushed the outpost didn’t you.”
“Commander, I could not stand by and witness your destruction. Intercepted communications indicated the personnel remaining on the station were given orders to kill you and recover your credit vouchers. Crew members and anyone who interfered were to be executed on sight. The lives of the Murlak aggressors were forfeit the moment they initiated hostilities. I attempted to neutralize the mechanized security units. I detected surviving drone emanations, and it was necessary to reengage surviving targets, resulting in the partial destruction of the station.”
There was a violent jerk and I could see the outpost go by much slower this time. There was another sudden jerk and I could swear I saw the Legacy twirling alongside the arm matching our spin revolutions. There was a much softer jerk, and we became stationary. We immediately started shuffling towards the transport at the end of the arm. Even though I was the greenhorn in zero G no one had to wait for me.
“Coonts take us around to the assault shuttle. Drop me and Klutch off as close as possible then get to the Legacy, we’ll join you shortly.”
Klutch put his hand on my shoulder. “Commander it is not necessary for you to accompany me to the shuttle.”
“Klutch, it’s the Commanders prerogative to accompany his crew on all expeditions regardless of the distance.”
I called to Justice, “Stay close to us and as soon as Klutch and I are dropped on the platform take Tria and Coonts aboard.”
“Affirmative Commander, hangar doors are open and tow beam is on standby.”
“Coonts bring us right up to the back of our shuttle and we’ll jump. I want you back aboard the Legacy as soon as we hit the platform.”
Coonts yelled a warning to us, “Commander, there is activity inside the docking arm close to your shuttle location.”
With no atmosphere on the station everybody is looking for a ride out of here. “Klutch we’re going in hot!” Coonts came over the comms net, “Commander, we are taking small arms fire from your shuttles location.”
“OK Coonts, we’re going to depressurize back here. I want to get as close as possible and put the transport broadside to them.” He sent me a clipped acknowledgment.
Tria, Klutch and I all knelt down in the airlock and pointed our weapons towards the docking arm as Coonts swung us around right on top of the assault shuttle. As we cleared the shuttle, we could see flashes of small arms fire hitting the side of the cockpit. We saw two Murlak trying to shoot up at us from under the nose of Klutch’s shuttle. All three of us cut loose on them, quickly ending their attempt at commandeering our assault shuttle.
“Coonts, take us down we’re going to bail out, we’ll see you on the Legacy! Tria cover us in case we missed someone! I could see Tria shaking her head no. “Commander I wish to join Klutch in your place, I am responsible for us being here. You must stay with the Legacy!”
“No Tria! You and Coonts get back to the Legacy. You have your orders!”
No sooner than Coonts touched down we jumped to the platform and mag locked our boots we had our weapons ready in case the Murlak had backup hiding somewhere in the tube area. The two dead Murlak had several rips and holes it their suits. Their floating corpses were stuck under the shuttles belly. They probably died from decompression rather than our direct weapons fire. If they would have honored my thousand credit atmosphere fee, they might have survived. Klutch gave the shuttle the proper access codes and did an emergency decompression. We quickly boarded, and he started prepping our bird for an immediate launch when I got the call I had been dreading.
“Commander! I have detected a large space time disruption wave that is consistent with a hyperspace exit burst.”
“Coonts get your shuttle on board the Legacy now!”
“Commander, I have confirmed the disruption as a vessel transition and the drive emanations exactly match those of Eiger’s Union destroyer.”
“Justice, get Coonts and Tria aboard and get out of here! We’ll meet you at our previous jump off point.”
“Commander, the outpost and now the Legacy are being scanned. The pirate vessel is now under heavy acceleration and headed directly towards the station. The close range military scans have revealed the cloaked location of the Legacy and I am detecting active targeting systems.”
“Klutch, we got to go! I don’t think Eiger is going to overlook a two hundred foot hole in his outpost with all of his favorite shit floating out of it!”
“Commander, the shields on this shuttle cannot withstand direct weapons fire from the destroyer’s primary weapons.”
“Commander, be advised I have detected a missile launch targeting the Legacy and the Union vessel’s shields have been brought online. The Grawl transport and the Tibor shuttle lack the necessary equipment to board the Legacy with the shields up. I am attempting to lock onto the transport and maneuver it in close behind the station for recovery. You must not leave the docking arm at this time or you will be targeted as the missile attempts to reengage.”
“Klutch, we need to distract Eiger until Justice can recover the transport.”
“Affirmative Commander, I recommend you tighten your seat straps and hold on!”
CRAP! I hope he doesn’t give me that big toothy grin………OH MAN! There was a massive flash and the sounds of large pieces of debris striking the shuttle. I looked over in terror as I saw Klutch hit the weapons button on his controller again and again. The cockpit window on my side spider webbed from a tremendous impact. I could see a huge glowing hole through the opposite side of the docking arm. I was suddenly crushed back into my seat as we blasted through the debris laden hole heading for the other side of outpost.
“Commander, I have recovered the transport and brought shields back online I will attempt to draw the Union ship away from you.”
“NO! You have your orders meet us at the jump off point! If we don’t make it there in thirty minutes Tria will take command. NOW GO!”
There was a huge flashbulb like burst from somewhere behind us. The big monitor screen between our seats started beeping loudly as it displayed three red blinking dots heading toward the center of the screen. Klutch reached over and killed
the alarm and then threw the cover back on the jump lever as the lights on his console started to do their blinking Christmas tree thing. This was going to be close. The three dots were coming to the center of the screen pretty damn fast. I was positive the center of the screen was the exact spot I was sitting in the shuttle. It would not be long before I found out. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the light on Klutch’s console turn solid and I was treated to the blurry eyed exfoliation treatment that I was begging for.
When we exited hyperspace I had been running on adrenalin for so long I must have run dry. I could only sit speechless gawking at the Tibor pilot and barely noticed the discomfort of the jump. There were red and yellow warning lights all over the instrument panel and the look on Klutch’s face was decidedly grim.
“Commander, we took a considerable amount of damage during our escape. Our present coordinates are more than half a light year from our intended destination. We are also leaking atmosphere at a significant rate and the jump drive is now inoperable. The sub light drive has warning indicators on both discharge nozzles.”
What Klutch was telling me started to sink in. The shuttle was slowly dying. The look on the Tibor’s face said he wasn’t sure if we could do anything about it. I shook my head to clear it and turned to Klutch and gave him a smile.
“Klutch you are one hell of a crazy ass pilot. I can’t believe we made it out of there alive. If we had come out on the same side of the outpost as Eiger, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”
“Commander, unless Justice can get a fix on our position, we may yet perish. I will bypass the safety limits on the star drive and give us as much thrust as possible. The self-sealing membrane that retains the atmosphere in the cabin has sustained critical damage. Even if I manage to restore maximum power our breathable atmosphere will be depleted long before we reach the Legacy. I have made the necessary course correction to take us to the jump off point.”
“We have nothing to lose Klutch run the drive wide open until it breaks. I’m pretty sure there was a missile detonation before we jumped. I hope Justice was able to jump before it got a lock.”
“If I had properly assessed the Murlak threat Commander, we would have left the outpost before Eiger returned.”
I frowned at the Tibor thinking the sequence of events that took place on the outpost all centered on me. From the moment I stepped foot inside I was the stimulus that instigated the Murlaks reactions.
“I was in charge of the mission Klutch and my decision to escort the Zaens to their ship cost us valuable time. We would have been clear of the outpost if I had not made that decision.”
I noticed a big orange flashing light on Klutch’s console. He repeatedly hit a switch to cancel it. He did it one more time and the look on his face got a little grimmer.
“Commander, the damaged atmosphere scrubber is no longer resetting and our reserve tanks show zero pressure. We will be forced to use our suits when the cockpit pressure alarm sounds.”
The off and on tugging effect caused by the intermittent thrust from the star drive was giving me a feeling of dread. The sudden spasmodic chirp of the cockpit cabin pressure alarm going off kicked dread out the airlock and put the feeling of doom firmly in charge. Klutch silenced the alarm with a swat of his big hand and then looked over and gave me that horrific toothy gape and a shrug of his huge wide shoulders. I could not just sit there silently and wait for my eminent demise.
“I’m sorry Klutch but I think your first encounter with the human race may turn out to be your last. I would have loved to see the looks on my family’s faces when I introduced you to them.”
The Tibor gave me a puzzled look, so I carried on. “I was actually scared to reveal my race to you because I didn’t think you would tolerate such an inferior species in your presence. Tria had once told me my race was a bunch of backward thinking children. I laughed about the comment at the time because I had just rescued her from a prison cell.”
Klutch looked at me with a growing toothy smile. “I have heard of humans but have never met one, you are the first. Many species consider warrior races such as ours inferior up until it comes time to defend themselves. It is amazing how quickly we lose the labels of primitive and inferior when we spill our blood in their defense. Apparently your race has been declared civilized by membership to the Union. It is the way of the galaxy and eventually your race will be accepted by all.”
I laughed and Klutch was surprised by my behavior. It was no time like the present to let him know the truth.
“Actually my race hasn’t been accepted into the Union yet. We are still a protected species. I am the only human to leave my solar system that I know of. I should say I am the first to leave but hopefully not the last.”
Even through the visor on his helmet the look of shock on Klutch’s face gave me pause for revealing my secret. It probably did not matter because it was looking more and more like it might be information that dies with him.
“How is it possible you command the Legacy if you are a protected species?”
“Well Klutch, to make a long story short, a Grawl named Sora was involved in an illegal mission on my planet to steal artifacts. He let greed blind him into thinking his race was so superior that even the large predators on my planet could do him no harm. His superior thinking got him killed. The Legacy was left unmanned until it found me wandering in the wilderness close to death. Justice saved my life and in return brought me to the stars to help recover the systems that were stripped from the Legacy. Through a series of very unlikely events my destiny and that of the Legacy have become permanently intertwined. We now have an unbreakable bond and I now share the responsibility of command. Together we were going to try to stop those who are stealing the means for primitive races to advance to the stars. In case we never make it out of here I thought you needed to know the reason why and the truth behind the human who has led you to your death.”
Klutch reached over and grasped my hand and held it up between us and yelled, “TO THE HONOR OF OUR CLANS!”
I knew Klutch’s armor was for combat in an oxygen atmosphere and like mine had a self-contained breathing system to protect against inhaled toxins. Neither was designed for indefinite use in vacuum and I was wondering who was going to last the longest before our suits could no longer filter our air supply. I had told Justice to wait thirty minutes then Tria was in charge. We had been heading to the jump off point for almost four and a half hours and the last thirty or so minutes I was starting to feel dizzy and my vision was getting a little screwy. I started to tell Klutch, but he was slumped forward against his restraints and unresponsive. It would not be much longer now.
22
I was startled awake by the sound of voices!
“Commander your vital signs have returned to normal, are you experiencing faults with your audio inputs?”
I tried to push myself upright but couldn’t muster the energy. “What the hell! Where’s Klutch?”
“Klutch still occupies the pilot’s seat of the shuttle. Coonts has taken it upon himself to lift him with the gravity jack and remove him to the exterior of the shuttle. His life signs are strong and he is breathing normally, but we have been unable to wake him. Once he is outside of the shuttle, I will transport him to the medical bay for further examination.”
“How did you find us?”
“We witnessed your escape through the arm of the station and I detected considerable damage to your shuttle. There was a very high probability if you were able to jump to safety the extent of the damage to the shuttle could have an effect on your exit coordinates.”
“When you failed to arrive at the jump off location in the allotted time, Tria immediately started a deep space scan. The erratic drive signature of your shuttle made it extremely difficult to sort you from the rest of the fleeing spacecraft that we were detecting. Ultimately Tria by some unknown means determined which craft you were in. As soon as we determined Eiger had returned to the remains of the outpost, we jump
ed to your last known position. When we arrived, we were no longer picking up your drive signature. We surmised your drive failed and initiated scans along several degrees of your last known trajectory. We reacquired your rapidly cooling heat signature and intercepted your shuttle and took you aboard with the tow beam.”
“I was forced to cut the access hatch away on the shuttle due to the extensive amount of exterior damage. Tria extracted you from the cockpit and Coonts is tending to the Troop master. You both recovered quickly from hypoxia but Klutch has been reluctant to wake.
I was a little dizzy and confused but the memories of our ordeal quickly came flooding back. “Was the Legacy damaged by the missile Eiger fired?”
“No commander, after recovering the transport we were partially sheltered from the missile attack by the outpost. In Eiger’s attempt to target this vessel he let the antimatter missile self-guide in its attack so he could also engage your shuttle. When it appeared the missile would strike the Legacy we quickly accelerated behind the outpost causing the missile to strike the base of the outpost. As we exited the vicinity, I observed massive damage to the outpost and believe it to be a total loss with no capability of sustaining life.”
I grimaced and managed to sit upright. “I don’t think at this point there is anything I could say to Eiger that would convince him to trade the DEHD core.”
The dizziness faded, and I turned my attention to the shuttle. It was a blackened scarred and well battered hulk. Not only did we manage to get the outpost destroyed, we totaled the shuttle in the process. “I think my next major purchase will be a new assault shuttle. We need to find someplace to space this piece of scrap before Klutch wakes up or we’ll never get the smell out of the Legacy.”
Tria put her hand on my shoulder. The gentleness of her touch was relaxing and I no longer felt the stress building inside of me. She looked at me with those pretty green eyes and I found the strength to stand upright.
First of my Kind Page 28
