“Don’t get too close,” said Trant. “The shock would take down a big man. But maybe not you, huh?” It was a shot, but Jolo didn’t bite.
“Ok. Give me the vid and I’ll run it on the local network here so everyone can decide for themselves.”
“What do I get?”
“You get to be the hero?”
“You mean captain who ratted out Kray?”
“Former captain,” said Jolo, tired of fencing with Trant. “Now you’re just jail bait on a doomed Fed ship led by a guy who thinks he can take down the synth girls on the ground. You have no plan. You can’t get out of here any more than he can.” Jolo jerked a thumb back towards Greeley. “Actually, he’s got a better chance of getting off this boat because I am standing on this side of the cell.” Jolo stood with his arms folded and a little smile on his face.
“You don’t know shit,” Trant said. Then he stood and took a deep breath and held it. He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a thin rod about ten centimeters long, then sat down in his chair and waited. His face turned red. He checked his watch. His eyes began to water and he slumped down onto the floor.
“Trant,” Jolo said. “What are you doing?” Trant tried to smile but his face was contorted and sweaty and he still hadn’t taken a breath.
The bot came up all at once. “Inmate 35S. Oxygen level below spec. Oxygen level below spec.” Soon a med bot popped in from the ceiling and the guard bot lowered the cell wall. The med bot gave Trant oxygen and he took a deep breath and started motioning the guard closer. The guard moved into the cell and Trant jumped up, jammed the thin rod into the bot through a mesh vent near the front. “Override code AXHEFV43,” Trant yelled. And suddenly the bot went limp. Trant kept the oxygen to his face, took a few more pulls then pushed the med bot away and it ascended up into a hole in the ceiling.
Trant stepped out into the hallway, did a slow turn, then retreated back into his cell. “I have a plan,” he said, face still red and breathing hard. “I do have some people. But I’ll need your help to pull it off. That’s what I want in exchange for the vid.”
Jolo sat down on the floor, reached for his flask, realized it was gone and spit on the clean white floor in disgust.
“If you can get out why do you need me?”
“I can get out of here but will need a diversion to get to the Nymeria. I can only get so far.”
“Did you arrange to have Greeley brought here?”
“Yes. I wanted to talk to you.”
“Why didn’t you just ask.”
“Would you have come?”
“Good point. Okay. What’d you have in mind?” Jolo looked up at the ceiling, suddenly aware their conversation was being recorded.
“Don’t worry,” said Trant. “The audio recordings on this level keep getting corrupted. Unfortunately.” He smiled. His breathing finally starting to slow. “There’s a small transport boat on level seven right near the outer door. Blow it up. Make sure the fuel cells burn. The doors will automatically lift to suck out the fire. That’s when I go. My people will take care of the ground crew.”
“Don’t kill them.”
Trant got angry. “Kill one dang president and they think you’re a mass murderer.”
“When?”
“Link me in to the Argossy’s comm system and I’ll let you know.”
Jolo handed Trant his wrist comm. “You’re linked.”
Trant gave him a mem chip. “Put that into any terminal on the Persephony and the vid will get out.” He grabbed Jolo’s arm, suddenly serious and cold. “I want to live. I want as many humans to live as I can take with me.”
“Good. We are on the same page. Take care of my people. Take care of the Sugoka.”
“I will. That’s our last hope.”
“Hey, what about my trip to Earth to get weapons and save humanity?”
“Historians will say it was Marin Trant who led the rebellion that saved humanity. You’ll be just another dumb boat that went to die on Earth.”
“Now who’s the rah rah patriot?”
“Don’t go to Earth, Jolo. No one comes home.”
“There’s got to be an explanation. And we need the guns.”
“If you do go find the Arcadia. My grandfather is probably long dead but it’d be nice to know what happened.”
“Got it. Save the galaxy, and find grandpa. You watch over the Duvalites in the Sugoka.” Jolo stepped away from the cell wall and Trant pulled the rod out of the bot.
“Revoke override code AXHEFV43,” Trant said. The bot rebooted and whisked back to its station.
“When you escape, get Greeley. Tell him to go the Argossy.”
“Good luck, Jolo.”
“You, too.”
Jolo made his way back to his room and threw himself down on his bunk. It was the last night he’d ever spend aboard the Federation Defender Persephony.
Return of the Gunboat
Jolo ran through the halls of the Persephony, warning klaxon blaring in the background. All active military personnel to duty stations. Level eight hull breach imminent.
Jolo ran past the classrooms on level four, his heart beating fast. The rooms were empty and dark, the Duval kids aboard the Sugoka now five jumps out in the middle of nowhere in the opposite direction of Kray’s proposed target, Sarus. Jolo didn’t know exactly where the kids were but that was for the best.
People were running every which way. Some to battle stations, some trying to get to the lower ship bays and get the hell out. One man was running faster than them all wearing nothing but a pair of tight, yellow underwear. Privateer in a rush, thought Jolo. And then he heard Koba, his voice distant, “Caaaap-taaaaain!” He’d forgotten the skinny mathematician in all the excitement. He slowed down and waited for him.
Earlier that morning Jolo woke to the good news that one of the gunships had returned from Barc. Where the other two were, no one knew. And even though the fed brass had no intention of divulging any intel to the shleps, like Jolo and Co., who ate their brown in the common areas, spirits were higher for the first time in weeks. The crew, all except for Greeley, had gathered on level four for breakfast.
“Maybe they know something that’ll help us get Barc back,” said Katy. She smiled and Jolo was glad to see it. It reminded him of when they were on Duval together and things weren’t so desperate.
“Good to see you smile,” said Jolo.
“She’s just perky because the bot gave her some extra green,” said Koba.
“I’ll give it to you if you want, skinny boy,” said Katy.
Jolo told them about Greeley and tried not to dampen their spirits. He left out the part about Trant and wondered exactly when would be a good time to let them know they were going to sabotage a Fed ship to let out a criminal. But then the warning message came over the comm and the hour or so of levity and hope aboard the Persephony turned to shite again.
Everyone jumped up and right then the big ship lurched to one side and everyone hit the deck.
“Did we just get hit?” said Katy, her voice high and shrill.
“No. Just an over-excited pilot trying to put some space between the Persephony and the civvie boats. All the heat’s gonna come this way,” said Barth.
“Everyone head to the Argossy and get her ready to go,” said Jolo.
“You’re coming, right?” said Katy.
“I got something to do. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Ain’t gotta tell me twice. I’m outta here,” said Koba.
“No. You’re coming with me,” said Jolo.
“Come on, Cap. I really would like to get off this giant, slow-moving target.”
“This ship may be the last Federation ship left standing,” said George.
“Ya’ll go. Now!” said Jolo. Katy didn’t budge, so he gave her a hug and then George took her hand and they ran off. Jolo took a deep breath. “Come on, Koba.”
Koba guessed the level three public comm station would be perfect. “It’s got
light encryption protocols and should allow a ship wide, maybe fleet wide message,” he said.
“Level three opened up into a wide atrium. The terminal was on the far end, a fountain and some more fake plants in between. People were still running around, heading to their duty stations, some calm and professional, others in a near panic. An officer with his jacket undone stood at the terminal. He leaned on the wall, his legs crossed, with a smile on his face. Jolo got right up next to him. “Stations!” he yelled, and the officer said a quick goodbye and ran off.
Jolo handed Koba the chip and he inserted it and started typing. “Good, it’s a valid mem chip with readable content,” said Koba. “Now to send it out.” He paused for a moment, then looked around, then back to the terminal.
“What’s up?” said Jolo.
“Need an auth code to send a message ship wide. With no auth code I can only send to one person at a time.”
“How about the guy that was just on?”
“He logged out.”
Koba turned around and yelled, “Anybody got an auth code? This is an emergency!” Jolo watched several people run by. Koba yelled again, but no one paid him any mind, in fact they steered clear of both of them.
“Who has auth codes?” said Jolo.
“Most upper tier officers, and some older chiefs.”
Jolo scanned the room, saw a man in blues coming their way, but he didn’t have enough brass on his jacket. Then he saw a man running through the atrium, heading for the lift tubes to the lower levels. He had plenty of chevrons on his sleeve, so Jolo called to him but he didn’t stop. Jolo wanted to be on his boat, to be moving away from this big, Fed ship. Away from the BG. “Come here!” he yelled again, but he kept going.
Jolo shook his head, reached for the Colt, but what would that do? So he ran straight for the man, leading him just a little so their paths would intersect. The man’s eyes got big as Jolo covered the distance faster than any human. Jolo grabbed him by the sleeve, nearly knocking him over and drug him back to the terminal.
“Unhand me, Pirate! What is the meaning of this?” And then Jolo realized he didn’t have a plan. How would he get the codes out of this man?
“I’m sorry,” said Jolo, loosening his grip on the man’s arm. “This is an emergency. I’ve got to get the vid out into the system so everyone can see it.”
“What? Some pirate propaganda?”
Jolo looked at Koba. “I ain’t got time for this shite!” Jolo wished Greeley was there. He had a way of making people spill the goods.
And then Koba started playing the vid. “Don’t believe us, fine. Just watch this,” he said.
“I’ll do no such thing,” the officer said, turning his head defiantly. Jolo spun him around and put his head right next to the screen. A woman came up behind them but Jolo didn’t budge. He made sure the man’s eyes were on the screen. The vid stopped and Koba said, “We gotta get that vid out!”
“It’s a fake!” the officer screamed. “And you both shall be reported.” He tried to go for his comm, but Jolo ripped it out of his hands and threw it across the atrium.
“Now I’m going to beat it out of him,” said Jolo. The man’s eyes got big, but then the woman spoke up.
“No need. Bravo Alpha 4-8-1 Charlie,” said the woman. “I’m commander of the Wasp light fighters and have spoken to Major Crasten, and we both believed your report at the assembly. It’s nice to have some hard data to back up the whispers.”
Jolo dropped the Fed officer he was holding and the man scrambled away still cursing them. “Captain, it would appear that all hope is not lost for humanity,” said Koba, grinning. “The vid is out.”
“Thank you,” said Jolo to the woman. She was dressed in flight gear. “Don’t let Crasten engage the Jaylens on the ground.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” she said. Two big explosions rocked the far side of the ship and she darted off.
Jolo called Trant on the comm.
“You out?”
“Yep.”
“Greeley?”
“Got him.”
“Greeley, can you hear me?”
“Yeah, Cap. Headed to the Argossy.”
“Trant. You want me to blow the door out?”
“No need, Jolo. The BG is all the diversion I need. Take care.”
Ten minutes later Jolo and Koba were on board the Argossy and the real fun was just about to begin.
Fools Die
Proximity warnings went off as soon as the nose of the Argossy emerged from lower bay #7 on the side of the huge Defender, Persephony. Jolo eyed the forward view screen and the sector display at the same time. A BG cruiser, nearly disabled, the starboard engine missing, a black hole in its place, was directly in their path and the Argossy wasn’t the most nimble of gunboats. So Jolo had Katy increase speed and angle up as much as she could. The impact tore a hole in the cruiser.
“Damage?” said Jolo.
“Just a scratch,” said Barth through the comm. “Might’a lost a bit of rail gun cowling, but it’ll just make us look tough.”
As the Argossy sped out into the open, gaining speed, Jolo felt his heart lighten. They were here together again on their ship. Free again.
He checked the sector scan and there were eight BG boats: three cruisers and five smaller light attack ships. All were pounding the Persephony. The bigger ship couldn’t fend them all off at once. “Koba, what’s the make on the light boats?”
“Bugs. Destroyer fighters.”
“Where’s the Destroyer? Those little boats can only make three jumps.”
“Not in the sector now,” said Katy.
A few Fed boats popped up on screen. “How many Fed boats?” said Jolo.
“The Persephony, two gunboats and five wasps. No, now eight wasps. The cruisers were pounding the Persephony, but the Fed boats are all over them.”
“Ok. Katy, take us out. The Sugoka has the kids and Kray can take care of this mess. Those lightweight fighters had to have come from Barc.”
“They followed the crippled gunboat home,” said Katy. She pushed the Argossy further out, away from the fray, and started the jump sequence.
“Where to, Jolo?”
He sat down in his chair. The BG attacked and Jolo realized he hadn’t really made a decision. He could run and hide with Trant or head to Earth. Staying with the Persephony was not an option. He hoped that Marco, Merthon and the kids were safe aboard the Sugoka.
“Take us out towards the Sugoka. We’ll find them, and maybe Trant and his crew.”
One of the wasps on screen went gray and he hoped it wasn’t the pilot who’d just given him the auth codes. Just then the board lit up again as two more cruisers popped in. Instantly the black ships headed for the gunboats who were fending off the first group of BG boats. Another of the wasps fell. This time the little dot on the screen went black, and then nothing, the little ship totally destroyed. It wasn’t really meant for ship to ship fighting, especially against cruisers.
Jolo glanced at Katy and she nodded. She was ready to make the jump. Then three gunboats appeared next to the Persephony, having just launched from one of the bays not yet hit by the BG. They arced out away from the big ship and then turned towards the fight. They watched the three blue dots moving towards the Persephony. Greeley yelled, “Kill those worms!”
“It’s the Nymeria,” said Koba. “Two gunboats with him. They’ll wipe up the remaining BG!”
“Katy, take us out,” said Jolo. And the Argossy’s jump drives started winding up as everyone watched the gunboats heading straight into the mix. One cruiser and a few light fighters remained, fighting against one gunboat and five wasps. The three gunboats were coming in hot, and then Jolo and the crew realized what was happening.
The three big blue dots ran right past the fight and slowed. Then one by one they jumped out.
“Trant!” Jolo yelled into the comm on the Fed channel. “Do something!”
“I am. Don’t be stupid, Jolo. Fools die.”
Another wasp went gray and then Trant’s gunboat, Nymeria, disappeared. And right on cue the remaining gunboat went black. Four wasps kept fighting, their speed and agility the only thing going for them. One hit from a cruiser and it was all over. The remaining cruiser got in close to the Persephony and started firing on the underside of the big ship.
“Why doesn’t Kray do something?” said Katy.
“The cruiser is in too close. The Persephony’s guns can’t come to bear,” said Jolo.
“What about the turrets?” said Koba.
“The Bugs took them out,” said Jolo.
“Yeah, but the lower levels are mostly just ship holds,” said Greely.
“But if they could get into the lower level, then maybe they could get a shot at level three,” said Koba.
“Fuel cells,” said Katy.
Fools die.
“Barth,” Jolo yelled into the comm, “can you stop the jump?”
“Yeah, but I’ll have to shut everything down from here.”
“Do it!”
Everyone was strapped in, ready to make the jump, and the Argossy went dark and the jump drives wound down. Once the computer came back online Jolo went full burn to the Persephony.
Katy brought the Argossy in close and the light fighters pelted the old ship with their tiny ion cannons.
“Evade?” said Katy.
“No. Shit on them,” said Jolo. “Koba, get a gun on that last cruiser.”
“Roger that.”
“Katy, get us in close,” said Jolo. The hull rocked as the smaller BG ships banged the Argossy.
“How we doin, Barth?”
“Okay for now, but don’t push it.”
Katy dove the old ship down and got and angle on the last cruiser. It had burned a hole in the lower part of the Persephony’s hull and was angling for another shot, deeper into the big ship. The wasps were buzzing around it, their smaller ion cannons hot and ready to melt, but they couldn’t move the larger ship.
The Jolo Vargas Space Opera Series Box Set Page 44
