“Parkes tried to make a break for it and before anyone could stop him he was halfway to the cargo vessel here, luckily I am still a very good shot, so you don`t have to worry about there being a traitor amongst us anymore.”
“Now all we have to do is sit here and wait for Tyler, Appolon and Caroline to leave the ship and we are almost there. I feel we finally have victory in sight.” Masters said gleefully.
It was seconds after his happy statement that the large door that was the cargo entrance to the ship closed up and the cargo vessel took off, leaving a stunned group behind to watch as its lights slowly faded into the night.
**********
It had been John Cassidy who had been told to check the reactor building regarding the short loss of power experienced in the town. He had arrived at the fusion reactor to find the team tied up with a strong adhesive tape, but this he soon ripped painfully from their bodies and reported back to Colonel Bragg on the radio. It was as he left the reactor building that the light in the entrance way lit up the shape of what looked to be a body. Cassidy walked across and found that it was Robert Lambert; thankfully he had only been stunned and would soon wake up. Cassidy carried him back into the reactor building and laid him down on the floor before calling Marcia on the phone, Marcia took just five minutes to reach him.
“Thank you John for tending to him, you get back to ridding Orion of these murderers while I look after my father.” Marcia said giving Cassidy a swift kiss before she put the cushion beneath her father`s head and a blanket over his body. She had picked up both items as she had hurried from her home, as she hadn`t expected to find such items at the reactor building.
Chapter Eighteen
The Night of June 27th the Year 2494
The Final Battle
Tyler was silent for a moment, stunned by the Heliot commander`s betrayal, but he realised that it should have been anticipated.
“What do you mean we have to stay aboard until you have finally taken the pirate ship, that wasn`t the agreement?” Tyler complained.
“Well it is now. I respect you very much earthman, the way you planned all this, and the way you improvised when things hit a snag. The way your two friends here risked their lives for you, rather than go when the option arose. Why do you not leave this planet behind and join us, I need a good strategist, stay with me as my first officer.” Aswan offered.
“I thank you for the offer, Commander, but I am far too soft to be a pirate. I would always be on the side of the people you were trying to screw; you would only end up trying to kill me, before I killed you.” Tyler replied.
“I had hoped you would take up my offer, but I thought that you would refuse, anyway I promise that I will release all three of you when we have won the battle for the ship up there, for who knows, I might still need your mind, one last time.” Aswan replied sadly.
Aswan leant over the Commander`s shoulder as soon as the small cargo vessel lifted off.
“Commander, inform the ship up there that all the repairs have been completed, and that you have lifted off from the planet, that and no more or you will be the first to die.”
Captain Kruger felt that things were finally coming right and he could breathe again as he heard the message from his communications officer.
Ten minutes later, Aswan saw that they were making their final approach to the Indefatigable, and so ordered the commander to report in again.
“Remember Commander, that some of my men will be left behind on this ship to guard you, should I walk into a trap, you will all die, if everything goes smoothly there is no reason why anyone should get hurt. Do you understand this Commander?” Aswan threatened.
“Yes, I understand, don`t worry, I am not prepared to die for my captain, and neither is anybody else here on this ship.” The commander hastily said.
“Good then we see things the same way, Commander.” Aswan said, thinking that this man would willingly work for him, except he didn`t want him, whilst he had asked Tyler to join him, and he wouldn`t, and to cap it all, he understood why. Maybe, Aswan thought to himself, I am getting too old for this kind of life, but then what sort of life could he turn to now, it was far too late for him to change. Anyway with Trajo to pass the time away with, things wouldn`t be too bad.
Tyler watched in amazement as the huge squat ship that was the Indefatigable loomed before them, he could now make out every pimple and dimple upon its dark hull and also the huge door at its rear that now slowly opened to reveal a massive hanger deck built to receive this small cargo vessel and the stealth ship. The cargo vessel came to a halt before the Indefatigable and slowly turned around so that its rear was towards the open hanger deck. Then Tyler felt a judder run through the cargo vessel as the space cruiser`s tractor beam grabbed a hold of the vessel and gently pulled it backwards, the cargo vessel slipped slowly through the opening in the starships massive hull to land quietly on the equally massive hanger deck of the ugly pirate ship. The ten crewmen of the cargo vessel were all bundled into the small mess room on the upper deck, there they were told to take off their uniforms and then to sit down. Rada and four armed guards watched over them with mean looking Phasers ensuring that the crew sat quietly in their underwear, and all of them hoped for this to end quickly and painlessly.
The door of the cargo vessel opened wide, and from inside a party of ten of the Heliot troopers, all wearing the uniforms of the crew of the cargo vessel, moved out to take up firing positions, but there was no one to fire at, everyone was friends on board the Indefatigable.
Part of this team now went to the cabinets that lined one wall of the Indefatigable and took out the pressure suits that were stored there. They took the suits back to the cargo vessel, while the others went to the pressure door on the hanger deck, this led through to the remainder of the ship, and they ensured that it was kept open. Aswan immediately had a squad of his men led by Trajo, all dressed in the pressure suits, rush to the pressure door to reinforce the first troopers and secure it. Once there they tied a lifeline to whatever they could find so that if they were discovered the captain of the ship could not simply open the outer door and blow them all into space. Now that all was secure Aswan, also dressed in a pressure suit, stepped out of the cargo vessel. He had left the cargo vessel under the command of Rada to ensure that their prisoners behaved themselves. Aswan moved quickly across the deck of the hanger and over to the air lock door, he was accompanied by Tyler and his two friends, who were dressed in their ordinary attire, from here they went through the airlock, and out into the corridor.
“Well Appolon, Caroline, we are in need a new plan, for my original one seems to have gone a little awry; I just hope that I haven`t led the two of you to your deaths.” Tyler said.
“The final battle is yet to be fought Tyler, who can say yet whether your plans have gone awry, for the future keeps a jealous hold upon its secrets.” Appolon said in reply to Tyler`s apology.
“We are three warriors, Tyler, and if we must die then at least it will be as warriors and not the serfdom that the Heliots promised to all the people of Orion.” Caroline said, her hand going to Tyler`s hand and holding it gently.
Tyler smiled at his two friends, he knew now that his new friends would not hold anything against him, they would follow him whatever the future had in store for them. Caroline was looking at Tyler`s new clothing and frowning.
“Tyler your clothing is obviously better than the rags you had on before, but when we return to the village I will make you a set of clothes befitting a warrior, they will suit you far better than these ones.”
“I do feel a lot like G I Joe, thank you Caroline I would appreciate that.” Tyler said smiling at the woman he loved.
**********
On the bridge of the Indefatigable, Karson had just that second turned to look at the security monitor that had just that second switched to the ship`s hanger deck. The view showed the rear of the small cargo vessel as it rested beside the sleek stealth attack craft, and looking out fro
m inside the cargo vessel Karson could clearly see a group of troopers putting on pressure suits, for Aswan wanted to ensure that his men were available for instant use and also safe. Karson cried across to Captain Kruger.
“We have intruders Captain, from the look of them they must be the remnants of that alien force that was camped outside of New Eden.” Karson exclaimed.
“Damn and Blast, they must have got by those useless marines down on the planet and taken the ship, what the hell good are those androids, they appear only to be able to subdue aboriginals, they have fouled up every part of this operation that they have taken part in.” Kruger said angrily.
“Number One, we must gather all the available crew together and arm them, luckily no one should be down on the lower deck. Close all the crash doors now, it should slow them up when they try to move up to one of the other levels.”
Huge doors throughout the Indefatigable moved across corridors to make individually armoured and sealed compartments throughout the ship.
“Mr Billings open the hanger deck outer door, let`s see if we can blow all of our uninvited guests out into space.” Billings tried to follow his captain`s orders but came up against a problem.
“I can`t Sir, the air lock door between the hanger deck and the lower deck is open and the safety program is stopping me from opening the outer door.”
“Number One, try to override the program. I while go down to the middle deck and organise our crew.” Kruger ordered.
“Mr Masterson, be ready to open individual crash doors as and when I ask you to.” Kruger said.
“Aye Aye Sir.” replied in the customary nautical manner of Masterson`s long departed ancestors.
“Come on Billings let`s see if we can throw our unwanted guests off our ship.”
Their first stop was to open the heavy door of the armoury and take out two heavy duty Phasers. Also waiting at the armoury were two more officers, they had been at the officer`s galley which was set on the other side of the crash door that had just closed. Seeing the crash door closing they had thrown themselves through the narrowing space and had just been about to enter the bridge when the captain and Billings had left it. Kruger thrust two more of the deadly Phasers into their hands.
“Come with us you two, we have a lot of intruders on the lower level to deal with.” He also gave them each a bag filled with more of the deadly Phasers, plus extra power cells, as they would almost certainly be needed.
They were stopped by the large crash door that the two bridge officers had just thrown themselves under, so Kruger yelled out to Masterson.
“Mr Masterson, will you open the upper level crash door for ten seconds, and then close it behind us.”
The huge door slowly opened to allow them through and then closed behind them trapping them in the officer`s galley. Before them was a lift, but when the crash doors were shut it too stopped working, sealing off the ship at whatever floor it happened to be on, as there was no access to the lift other than through its door, it was a very effective barrier. Beside the lift was a heavy door, and inside this door was a sealed access hatch set in the floor. Kruger now took out his communicator and called the bridge.
“Mr Masterson, first check that the access tube is empty of the intruders and then open the security door on the upper level and then open the access hatch inside.”
Masterson quickly checked the appropriate camera that was set in the wall of the access tunnel and seeing that the tunnel was still secure, he opened the security door followed by the access hatch which by way of a ladder took you down from the upper level to the corridor in the middle level of the ship. Here Kruger, once again called on Masterson to first open the security door to allow them access to the middle level deck, and then to open the crash door that would enable him to enter into the science and medical section of the ship. Here he found ten more of his crew awaiting developments; he gave each one a Phaser and filled them in on the problem that they faced in the shape of the intruders.
Billings meanwhile had been in touch with Masterson once again, and it was now the crash door to the engineering section that opened to allow him entry, he looked in and told the eight men trapped inside what the situation was, and for them to come out into the corridor where the captain would give them their orders. Kruger now armed these crewmen, and with his full force before him, he spoke to them.
“We aren`t going anywhere until we sort this problem out, so I need you all to help kick these aliens of our ship.” Kruger explained.
“Understood Captain, you can count on us to kick their butts.” They all said.
“Ok men, first we have to secure the lower deck level, then we will see about kicking the aliens off the ship.”
**********
Down on Orion, Masters and Tryon, together with Parsons were shouting at Colonel Bragg.
“Tyler, Appolon and Caroline are still on board the cargo vessel, so what is the rush to set off your explosives, you will just have to wait for a little longer, until Tyler contacts us to advise us what he wants us to do.” Masters insisted.
“Wait until that ship up there starts to fire down upon us you mean. Whoever wins the battle for the ship is just as likely to renege on the deal and start shooting down at us just for kicks.” Bragg stated just as forcibly.
President Michaels then entered the argument. “Colonel, I am sure that we will be safe for a little longer. We owe Mr Burrows and his friends so much; surely we can run a few of our own risks to repay in part what we owe them.” He argued.
“If that is how you want to play it Mr President, then I will follow your instructions, just don`t leave it too long.”
*********
Tyler kept close to Caroline to ensure that he would be able to stop any Phaser shots that came her way, Appolon, he thought, was old enough and tough enough to look after himself. Next to Tyler, Caroline was thinking along similar lines except that it was she who would do the protecting. The Heliot troopers moved along a narrow corridor with doors leading off it on both sides. Each one was easily opened by pressing a metal plate inset into the wall of the corridor, each one was investigated, and all of them were empty of their occupants. Then from ahead came a mechanical groan, followed by more human groans that originated from the Heliot Troopers when they had seen the first of the crash doors begin to close. The leading Heliot troopers were carrying a large Phaser cannon between them and seeing that they would be effectively locked out from the rest of the ship they thrust the cannon between the closing door and the bulkhead. The door almost won the contest by crushing the large cannon into so much garbage, but it failed to close across completely although the gap got smaller all the time. Aswan immediately ordered two of his biggest troopers to take a hand, and with these two large Heliot soldiers using all their muscles in an effort to stop the crash door from closing over, the heavy door finally whined to a stop when it got thoroughly jammed by the twisted parts from the heavy Phaser cannon. The Heliots were then able, with the help of some tools which they appropriated from the hanger deck, to open the door a little wider, allowing them to pass through. Once through Aswan saw that there was a lift which was obviously not working, although he tried pressing repeatedly on the call button, and a heavy metal security door next to it this housed the narrow vertical ladder that led up to a sealed hatch set in the ceiling at the top of the ladder.
“Trajo, get some explosive and blow this door off of its hinges, let`s see if there is an access ladder behind it.” Aswan ordered, for on the Heliot space cruisers they had a similar system to what looked to be before them now.
Trajo used a small amount of plastic explosive which she put around the locking mechanism. Then she called out a warning.
“We are blowing the door now so please take cover everyone.” Trajo bellowed this out over the suit radios.
Tyler, Caroline and Appolon were much further back from the centre of operations, and of course they had the smaller translator provided by Aswan, but as the warning was given over
the suit radios they didn`t hear it, but Tyler understood what was going on anyway, and so he warned Caroline and Appolon to cover their ears. Trajo detonated the explosive and the door flew open with a crash as it hit the surrounding metal of the walls. Before her was the access ladder that ran up to the hatch that sealed off the floor above. Aswan moved forward to have a look at it and after a moment he turned round and ordered Trajo to blow the hatch,
“Be careful Trajo, for on the other side of this wall is outer space, so use the Kamet directional explosive, set it to blow upwards and away from the rear wall.”
Trajo moved to the ladder, she had been anticipating such an order; she slowly clambered up the ladder, her pressure suit reducing her manoeuvrability somewhat. Taking the Kamet explosive out of her pack she attached it to the flat ceiling above her head so that the lock of the hatch would be destroyed along with a portion of the ceiling. She now took out a detonator which incorporated a timer and after attaching the detonator to the explosive she gave the timer a flick of the dial, which was now set into the side of the Kamet explosive everything was ready. Moments later she was back down the ladder and motioning everybody back around the corner and into cover.
“We are blowing the door now.” Trajo bellowed out once again over the suit radios.
Tyler, Caroline and Appolon were still almost at the rear of the twenty Heliot troopers but once again Tyler understood what was going on, and so he warned Caroline and Appolon once again and they all quickly covered their ears. From ahead there followed a loud explosion, and smoke billowed out of the opening, and debris rained down upon the floor directly beneath the hatchway.
Time Storm Page 24
