by C H Gideon
“What say you, Kah Dur?” someone asked in a muffled voice Maddox could barely hear.
Maddox wanted to follow her, to get closer so he could hear better, but the pathway she’d chosen was little more than a crack in the wreckage of the building. It was littered with debris and rotted wood.
Attempting to move across it in his armored boots would make too much noise, alerting the clandestine congregation that he was there.
He didn’t want that.
So, he remained where he was and strained to hear what was said, reminding himself to have Takal increase the sensory input of the suit beyond just vision.
“I left as soon as I could,” he heard her answer. “The attack…me.”
Maddox growled under his breath as he realized she and the people she’d come all this way to meet were moving away from the entrance. If they went farther, he would either lose track of them entirely or be forced to follow after them and risk being heard.
“…Pon,” he heard a masculine voice mutter. “Still alive?”
Maddox stiffened at hearing that.
What are you planning, Kah Dur?
“…the compound…chambers…still.”
Maddox only caught part of the servant’s reply and he edged forward, getting as close as he could without making a sound.
It wasn’t much help.
“…kill…” he heard a different male state, the venom in his voice clearer than anything he said.
“Yes,” someone else said. “We must.”
Maddox realized then that the voices were becoming clearer.
He shifted away from the cluttered entrance as their voices got louder, obviously headed back in his direction.
“We have no choice,” the first person said. “The master wishes it so, and thus it shall be.”
Maddox eased as far to the side of the entryway as he possibly could and held his breath despite knowing no one could hear it with his helmet on.
The servant scraped and crawled across the debris, and Maddox was glad he hadn’t tried to sneak past since there was no way he could have done it silently. The light, slim servant crunched and stomped her way back through the trash as if a herd of wild animals trailed her.
She stood up once she cleared it and brushed the dirt from her uniform, cast a quick glance behind her, and left the building without a word.
The males behind her stopped at the far end of the clutter.
Maddox leaned around the corner to take a better look, still cloaked.
What he saw surprised him.
The two people Kah Dur had been speaking to were dressed in dark robes, looking like religious disciples. He could see by their skin color and eyes that they were Krokans, but there was nothing about either that would make them stand out in a crowd of their people.
He memorized their faces as best he could in case he needed to recall them, but they didn’t remain still for long.
They gazed after Kah Dur for a moment, even though she was long gone by then, then turned back to one another.
“I’ll prepare the acolytes,” one said. The other only nodded.
A moment later, both males made their way across the debris path, following the servant. Maddox eased back and let them pass.
He had a pretty good idea Kah Dur would return to the compound, so he let her leave without tracking her, but those two were a mystery to him.
They stepped out into the dark alley and made their way to the street, strolling casually, as if they hadn’t just been making threats against the president, which was what Maddox believed.
He had heard Jaer Pon’s name mentioned, and it made sense that these people were plotting to kill the president of Krokus 4, especially after what Kah Dur had told the crew earlier.
Perhaps that was what she had really been warning them about—her attempt to have the president killed while they were at the compound.
Maybe she’d meant to protect the crew from any backlash, knowing the room was bugged and being observed. If the crew were clearly visible on the holos, nothing would implicate them.
But that was not how things worked out.
The attack had pulled them from their guest chambers out onto the street where no one except Sergeant Gib could attest to their whereabouts.
Maddox sighed as he chased the acolytes, staying close to them as they drifted in the general direction of the compound.
Maddox decided that if they were plotting to kill the president while the crew was still on the planet, then it was his duty to stop them.
At the very least, he would follow them and see what they were up to.
Chapter Ten
Back aboard the SD Reynolds, the crew made arrangements to strike the Orau settlement on Krokus 1, where the minister had directed them.
“What about Maddox?” Jiya asked once they were back on the bridge, not liking how things were playing out. “We’re not just going to leave him on the planet while we go bomb another one, are we?”
“Maddox is fine, Jiya,” Reynolds assured her. “He is tracking down the servant who warned us about the president and working to discover what her motivations are.”
“Probably that President Jaer Pon is an asshole and we can’t trust him,” she stated, making a face. “As much as I want to go and blow these Orau assholes up, it still feels to me as if we’re being used.”
“Of course we are,” Reynolds replied with a shrug. “That’s politics.”
“But not ours,” she pressed.
“No, maybe not, but I don’t see anything we’re doing here as a bad thing,” he told her. “After what the Orau did to the people of Krokus 4, they deserve to get their dicks kicked in, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely!” Jiya answered. “But however good this is going to feel, what are we opening ourselves up to?”
“The joy of stomping the skulls of murderous morons?” Ka’nak suggested.
“I’m all for that,” Tactical called. “I get firsties!”
Jiya sighed. “It’s like talking to walls,” she muttered. “Dumb walls.”
Asya shrugged. “I get what you’re saying, Jiya, but I do not really see a downside to taking out a bunch of assholes who are killing innocents.” She gestured to the viewscreen. “I recorded the attack on the planet from up here. It was brutal. I could play it for you if you want.”
Jiya shook her head. “No thanks, I was there. Not up to re-living it, even if it’s from another perspective.”
“Then I’m not sure what the problem is,” Asya pressed.
“I think it’s that I just don’t want to be used by that piece-of-shit president,” she shot back.
“Is this about your dad?” Geroux asked quietly.
Jiya snarled. “No. Yes. Maybe. Fuck if I know, but now that you mention it, this does feel like I’m working for my father to keep the peasants in line by a show of force.”
“But it’s not the Krokans who are being taught a lesson here,” Ka’nak argued.
“You sure about that?” Jiya asked the warrior. “Here we are, the most potent force in the system, and we’re working for a jackass like Jaer Pon,” she said. “No matter how you twist things, it looks like we’re servants doing his bidding. Watch us punish the Orau, which, again, I’m okay with, but when you ask the people of Krokus 4 who did it, I guarantee they’ll say their president did.”
“So this is about your ego?” Ka’nak asked.
Jiya shook her head slowly. The corners of her mouth curled up into a weak smile. “Yes, Ka’nak, this is all about my ego. Fuck the Krokans, fuck the Orau, and fuck everyone else for having an opinion. I just want people to know it was me, and me alone, who kicked the Orau’s asses.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” Ka’nak wondered. “That’s something I can relate to.”
Jiya growled and mimed choking the Melowi warrior. “One of these days.”
“I understand your concerns, Jiya,” Reynolds said, “but selfishly, I think it’s best for everyone if we end
the Orau threat. Then we can look into the Etheric signature without interference. We can’t get the information we need to continue our mission until the fighting ends.”
Jiya gave him a thumbs-up, tired of trying to explain herself. “Then let’s get to it, Captain,” she said, going over and dropping into the seat at her console. The thought of the no-win mission cast a darkness over her that she couldn’t shake off.
Reynolds took that as a sign to get underway. “Ensign Alcott, do you have the coordinates for the Orau base on Krokus 1 locked in?”
“Yes, sir,” Ria answered. “Locked, and the Gate drive is cycling. We’re ready to go at your command.”
Reynolds grinned. “Why can’t the rest of you be like Ensign Alcott?”
“Because I couldn’t possibly get my nose that far up your ass, Reynolds,” Tactical answered.
“Hey!” Ria argued. “That’s not nice.”
“Have you met Tactical?” Asya asked, laughing.
“Never mind all this.” Reynolds sighed. “Let’s go kick some alien ass.”
“Opening the Gate now,” Ria informed.
“Let’s hit it,” Reynolds ordered.
The SD Reynolds started forward, sliding easily through the Gate, the portal sealing behind them.
A few moments later, they appeared on the far side of Krokus 1 where they’d been told the Orau outpost was located.
“We’re here, sir,” Ria announced.
Reynolds watched without comment and ordered, “Report.”
“It looks as if the coordinates and intel your buddy Jaer Pon provided were accurate,” Jiya replied. “There is an outpost nestled in a mountain valley on the other side of the planet. I’m detecting a large amount of firepower, as well as… Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me,” she exclaimed.
“What is it?” Reynolds asked, turning to look at the first officer.
“No wonder Jaer Pon sent us here,” Jiya muttered. “This planet is inhabited.”
“Uh, yeah,” Tactical said. “By the fucking enemy.”
“Obviously,” Jiya shot back, “but unless these nomadic twatwhistles brought their entire planet with them, there is no way all the lifeforms I’m picking up down there are Orau.”
“Let me see,” Reynolds said, putting her console’s data up on the main viewscreen. He snarled as it scrolled. “That ingrown prick,” Reynolds growled.
“I’m owed an, ‘I told you so,’” Jiya announced evenly while studying the data.
“Data is telling me that there are two distinct species down there,” Asya clarified. “The first is definitely Orau, but the second is unknown to the system. They’re likely the original inhabitants of the planet before the Orau showed up.”
“And if they’re still there with a bunch of cutthroat pirates, my guess is that they are being used for something illicit and unkind,” Jiya said.
“Slaves, most likely.” Reynolds growled at the realization that things weren’t going to be as easy as they’d expected.
“Even more reason to blow these fuckers to ass dust,” Tactical argued.
“Maybe, but the plan was to surveil the outpost and then blow it the fuck up,” Reynolds replied. “It’s not like we can do that now, not with a bunch of innocents in the way.”
“Fuck it, I’m using it now!” Jiya said, throwing her hands up. “I told you so!” she shouted. “The presidential shitstain knew there were other people here when he sent us. He wants us to do his dirty work. If we’re the ones killing all the locals, he can’t be blamed for it. No political stink on his hands.”
“And here we agreed to do just that,” Asya added, grinning as she stared at Reynolds, watching for his reaction. “Just like Jiya said.”
“I’m not finding any of this amusing,” Reynolds said, looking over the data once again.
“What do you want us to do, Captain?” Jiya asked.
“Give me a minute,” Reynolds barked, rubbing his metallic face as if that might actually do something.
“Don’t really have a minute anymore,” XO informed.
“What is it now?” Reynolds asked.
“Our little friend just Gated in on the other side of the planet,” XO announced.
“Our friend? The Loranian ship?” Reynolds asked, spinning to XO’s station for clarification. “Show me!”
The viewscreen flickered and zoomed in, and there in orbit above Krokus 1 sat the same Loranian ship that had attacked the SD Reynolds above Grindlevik 3.
“Those sons of weasel fuckers,” Tactical blurted. “I’m warming up the Eat Shit and Die. I don’t care what you say.”
“Belay that,” Reynolds shouted.
“Blow this,” Tactical fired back.
“Silence! Now that the Loranian ship is here, we can’t just stroll over there and start taking shots at the planet,” Asya said.
“No, but we can start taking shots at those Loranian slug-fuckers,” Tactical argued.
“Then we’d be engaging both them and the Orau, who’d no doubt join the Loranians in trying to blow holes in us.” Reynolds sighed. “Things are always complicated when it comes to living beings.”
“That’s because you let Bethany Anne give you a damn conscience when it comes to meatbags, Reynolds,” Tactical told him. “Stow that shit for a while, and you’ll realize I’m right. We should just raze the planet and then park our railguns up that alien ship’s rectum.”
“The place is already razed,” Asya informed them. “These Orau laid waste to the planet while gouging for resources, it looks like.”
“You’re not trying very hard to talk me out of this,” Tactical warned.
“We’re not nuking the planet, and that’s final,” Reynolds snarled.
“You take all the fun out of annihilation,” Tactical told him.
“We’ve got movement at the ship,” Asya reported. “There’s a shuttle disembarking right now. It’s headed to the surface.”
“Lifeforms aboard?” Reynolds questioned.
“I’m picking up five distinct beings,” Asya reported.
“If you were looking for a reason to agree with me,” Tactical said, “this is it. This is the perfect opportunity, presenting itself on a golden fucking platter.”
“I don’t want anyone to remember this moment, but I agree with Tactical,” Jiya announced, cringing as she said it. “We’ve got a chance to grab some of those Loranian pricks—no offense, Asya—and find out what the hell they want with us.”
Asya shrugged off the comment.
“How do you propose we do that?” Reynolds asked.
“We pile into a cloaked shuttle and follow them down,” Jiya suggested. “Find out where they’re headed and what they’re up to on the planet, then we use our boots as suppositories and figure out who they are and why they’re following us.”
“That’s the best plan I’ve heard since my own,” Tactical exclaimed. “I’m on Team Hemorrhoid over there.”
Reynolds stood there silently for a moment, mulling his options, and it didn’t take him long to decide. “Let’s do it,” he decided. “You, me, Ka’nak, Geroux, and San Roche will head down to the planet to find out what we can and try to capture these fucks for interrogation.”
“What do you want us to do?” Asya asked.
“What Tactical wants,” Reynolds replied.
“I’m not sure that’s what we want to do, Reynolds,” she told him.
“I mean, take the superdreadnought around the other side of the planet and start giving it to the Loranian ship.”
“Really?” Asya asked.
“Really?” Tactical asked an instant later, no less surprised than Asya was.
“With some of their crew on the planet, maybe you can get them to sit still long enough to do real damage,” Reynolds said.
“And if the Orau join the fight like you said earlier?” Asya asked.
“Blow them the fuck up too,” Reynolds ordered. “Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”
“
Can’t we just use guns like normal people?” Asya questioned. “Dogs in space do not make for a solid tactical strategy, not even on this ship.”
“Throw the head at them if you need to,” Reynolds told her. “Just make sure you hurt those pricks.”
Asya grinned, snapping a salute.
Reynolds left the bridge, and Jiya followed him, waving Geroux and Ka’nak after her.
“Reach out to San Roche and have him meet us in the hangar bay, Asya,” Jiya called back as she raced off the bridge.
She smiled as she did.
She couldn’t help herself.
The fates were aligning, and both the opportunity to take a shot at the Loranian ship and its crew felt like an early Conception Day present.
She was going to have a ton of fun ripping this one open.
“The shuttle is free of the hangar bay,” Ria reported.
Asya nodded, gesturing to Tactical’s station. “Then it looks like it’s time to go stir shit up.”
“You’re speaking my language,” Tactical replied.
“Slowly and incoherently, with a lot of cussing?” Ria asked.
Tactical chuckled. “We might make a soldier of you yet.”
“Get ready to open a Gate next to that piece-of-shit cruiser parading around as a Loranian ship,” Asya ordered, “but do it carefully. I don’t want them realizing we’re coming until it’s too late.”
“Yes, sir,” Ria replied, fingers flying over her console. “Gate opening in three…two…now.”
“Go!” Asya ordered.
The SD Reynolds shot forward at the command, slipping into the portal and sliding through, transported almost immediately to the other side of Krokus 1. Like before, they appeared above and behind the Loranian ship.
Tactical unleashed his railguns with brutal efficiency.
The Loranian cruiser took nearly the full brunt of the blasts, bringing its shields up at the last second to deflect only a small measure of the attack.
Debris and atmosphere spewed from holes in the hull along the scorched aft quadrant of the ship near its engines. The ship listed and the crew of the SD Reynolds cheered, but their joy was short-lived.
