Betrayal is a Double-Edged Sword - TC 3.2 DiD

[Poseidon]

Just ask captain kirk

[Timsup2nothin]

Just ask captain kirk

Or Spock's dad.

[Song Of Obsidian]

And now to wrestle my thread back from the Trekkies...

Chapter 103 - No Rest for the Paranoid


Sleep wouldn't come for me.

It occurred to me, very belatedly, that if Nyota had been an agent all this time, she just missed the best opportunity to kill me. Unless she was waiting for me to fall asleep. That shook me up enough to get me out from under her, off the cot and into some clothes. I had work to do anyway.

I spared her sleeping form one last glance before stepping out, and in that moment I almost climbed back into bed. She'll be the death of me.

Back on the Boa's small bridge, I briefly considered locking the door. She wouldn't take that well, though, so I reassured myself with a knife and a small sidearm, both laid across my lap. If she came in, I would be ready.

I would have to come to terms with what had just happened, but now was not the time. Or so I told myself as I initiated a comm.

"Yesssss?"

"Don't you yesssssss me, you greedy green-skin."

Hohindras smiled and shrugged. "You wish to know about Trapelt?"

"Mm."

"I was right. They mostly transssport ore for other companiess. They own less than a dozen shipss and two miness. Their fleet has ssuffered losses. I will find out why tomorrow."

Nothing spectacular. Just the sort of thing to come up with for a trap, of course. That was part of the reason I wanted to listen in. But now, of course, that matter had been complicated. "Very well. You'll have to try to record the meeting. I'll be indisposed tomorrow morning and don't know when I'll be free." Or if.

He gave me that same calculating look that had so disconcerted me the last time we spoke, then shrugged again. "Sso shall it be. They will undersstand if I ask a few dayss to think over any deal they propose."

I nodded slowly and continued to watch him. Was he trying to pry himself loose of my control? After all I had given him?

That thought brought to mind words I had heard once. 'Take what you can, give what you must. Who had said it? It didn't sound like something any of my trainers would have said. The influence seemed more...Teladi. Had Hohindras said it? No. The memory was older. And it hadn't referred to money, either. It was about trust. And then it clicked. Laludinas.

I smiled, remembering her again. A partner who wasn't afraid to take her due or tell me I was being an idiot. Such times had been rare, but they were there. And on that foundation had been built a working relationship that had me fleeing a military base on nothing but her word, and her giving that warning with nothing to personally gain. Because 'give what you must' had taken on a new meaning for us. Some risks were worth the danger, because giving anything less would have been too terrible a crime to live with. I would have begged for retirement if I ever proved that weak.

Retirement.

A niggling little worm of an idea started to grow in my mind. I let it lie for a moment, mostly because Hohindras was clearing his throat loudly enough that I couldn't ignore him any more. My gaze refocused on his bemused face and he asked, "Are you unwell?"

I smirked a little. Seeing me with a dreamy smile probably was a bit odd. "Well enough. Just have a lot on my mind, and it can get overwhelming at times." I shrugged, not nearly as nonchalantly as Hohindras managed, and continued. "You know what you're doing. Just make sure to record the conversation so I can have a listen later. Alright?"

He nodded, expression unchanged. "Iss there anything elsse?"

"No, that will be all. Talk to you again soon, my friend." He appeared startled, just before I cut the connection and sat back to think.

Who WOULD they have sent after Fui? There were only a handful of Split who did that sort of work. Pu t'Tn was one of them, I knew, which was part of the reason why seeing him had unsettled me so much. I highly doubted I could ever best him in a fight. Rumors about him were prolific enough that even those who didn't know whether or not he actually existed still feared his name.

I could use that.

I pulled up another name on the comm panel. The call was answered quickly. "Yes, Commander?"

"Aron, I'll need Nu, Gu, and Cio," I said, naming our remaining Split warriors, "for a clandestine operation in Split territory. Make sure they're rested up, because we'll need to leave in say, six hours. I'll come visit to get them prepped in four. Understood?"

The warrior nodded sharply. "They'll be ready."

[Timsup2nothin]

Not necessarily trekkies. Just showing that cross species...interest...is a staple of Sci Fi. Could have gone the Star Wars example instead. I'm sure the princess was shagging that wookie, so to speak.

Keep up the good work!

[Song Of Obsidian]

Shagging that wookie...Hahaha, what a phrase.


Chapter 104


A metallic clattering sound jerked me back to consciousness. I sat upright, experiencing some mild disorientation, and looked around. No one to be seen. A moment later I realized where I was. Still on the Boa's bridge.

Suppressing a yawn, I looked down at the comm panel. Nothing. Then I noticed the knife laying across my thighs. It was alone.

I picked it up and started to turn around, fearing that someone had taken the laser pistol, but my foot nudged something on the floor and I realized what had happened. I leaned forward and looked at the floor, and sure enough, there was the small gun. I shook my head, frowning. I had these weapons out to defend myself from Nyota?

My fear felt...weak, and misplaced. Or maybe just misunderstood. I knew that I felt fear, but as I looked at the two weapons I realized they wouldn't protect me.

I sighed and retrieved the other weapon, then checked the time. A little early, but I wasn't going back to sleep. I stood and tucked away the weapons, then walked out of the bridge.

I needed to go to the Cerberus before I met with Nu, Gu, and Cio. There were supplies I had left there, way back when it was one of the few ships I even owned. So long ago...

I didn't realize I had made a decision about my next action until the door to the room Nyota and I had shared the night before opened before me. Still dark. I stepped inside and waited for my eyes to adjust, but left the door open for some miniscule amount of light. Once I could see well enough to avoid kicking anything, I moved near to the cot and stepped aside. The light barely illuminated Nyota's face at all, but she was clearly still asleep. The contours of her face were concealed by shadow, but my memory supplied her features for me. One thing I could make out clearly was her hair. It was really the first time I had seen it unbound. I decided I preferred it that way.

I left the room and closed the door, then transported myself to the Cerberus.

-------------------------------------

The room I had once bunked down in was occupied by half a dozen people when I arrived. Those present turned curious eyes my way, and then one of them jumped up to her feet and saluted. I smiled. "Sheron Poler. Good to see you again." I was surprised to see her in this gathering, since I had forbidden her from spending time with her own comrades. But the situation recently had been chaotic enough that I wasn't going to make an issue of it.

"Sir." Her face filled with color, but she held her posture. Rather brave, that.

Most of the others were looking up at me with puzzlement. They had never seen me, of course. The one who did know me tossed off a lazy wave. "Commander."

I had to struggle not to laugh at the expressions on the other faces. "Kile. I'm sorry you missed out on the op yesterday."

He grinned cheerfully. "Just make sure I get in on the next one and we'll call it even."

"Done. Fair warning though, that will probably be tomorrow or the day after." I met each disbelieving gaze then. "I think introductions are in order, Kile."

"Oh, certainly, Commander." He waved to one sitting up on the edge of one of the beds. "That's Niklas Gusta." Niklas nodded curtly, and I returned the nod. Then Kile gestured to the other bed. "And that's his sister, Kriss." She simply stared, and I smiled faintly. "The one at Sheron's feet is Mikela Silsarna." She waved once, almost a perfect imitation of Kile's. That made me wonder. "And this," Kile said with a jerk of his head to the last woman, leaning against the back wall, "is Chianna Danar."

Kile's sympathetic gaze was all that kept me from wincing, but I could feel a tightness around my own eyes. "A pleasure to meet you all at last. I've seen you before, but only heard Mister Jorwan's name at the time." Then I looked at Sheron and grinned. "You can relax now. If you want to."

She chuckled at herself and sat down. "Where's Judge, sir? Haven't seen her in a bit."

I glanced at Kile, who shook his head. They hadn't been told. I sighed. No reason to tell the whole truth. "We lost her."

The solemn expressions that greeted that news stung. I was once again reminded how influential Chianna had been. How much I had relied on her, and even grown because of her. Damn her.

Kriss spoke up. "Does that happen often, sir? Losing people, I mean."

I shook my head and leaned against the doorframe. "Not often at all. Since the Heirs were formed, we've only lost five, including Judge."

"That's insane!" Mikela exclaimed. "We've seen all the ships out the portals, and we were told none of them had been bought."

I shrugged, not sure what to say to that. "That's true. But I came here looking for a bag I left behind. Is it still here?"

"On the bridge, Commander," Kile said. "We didn't know whose it was."

"Very well. Are you alone on the ship?"

"No, Commander. Thirteen of us, since Cio's been taken for some assignment. We moved over from the Minotaur. More comfortable here."

"Ah." I thought over the numbers for a moment. Kile had been the only one left out of the op. Cio t'Hnk had been one of the squad leaders, but our main boarding team was short-handed, so his squad had been distributed amongst the others for the time being. The next boarding operation would be tricky. I certainly wanted Kile on it. I would probably use Marissa's squad to fill out the team. But I wanted a backup option. "Well, after Cio's assignment I plan to give him a rest period. You'll join Miss Halter's squad for it, I think." It occurred to me then that my people might need some practice with the new weapons before going out. That meant delays. "On second thought, the op will be two days from now. But I want everyone on standby that day in case there are surprises, so pass the word to rest up tomorrow night." The others looked on eagerly. Must have been bored near to tears.

"Will do, Commander. You off now?"

I nodded, then glanced around again. "Word of advice. Don't gamble with him. He's a shark."

Several voices broke out loudly all at once, and I thought I heard someone say he had just been trying to start a card game, but Kile threw a boot at me and I fled the room, grinning broadly.

[Timsup2nothin]

Soft on discipline. You should have caught his boot and eaten it. That would have shown him who's the boss.

[Song Of Obsidian]

But then I'd have to supply a new boot, and I can't just waltz into any surplus store for supplies. Too much of a hassle.

I'll get revenge in a more practical way.

[Song Of Obsidian]

Chapter 105


My passage through the Cerberus was swift; I knew this ship well. I was also hoping to avoid seeing Brent Jorwan. I was surprised, and admittedly baffled, to find myself in too fine a mood to deal with the frosty greeting of a man who probably regarded himself as demoted and disgraced. He knew my face, since we had talked while the Marines were in the lifepods, so there would be no smooth avoidance if I saw him.

Unfortunately, the bridge was occupied when I arrived.

As before, curious gazes turned my way. I saw Jorwan and watched the shift from recognition to hostility to studied indifference. Oh well. "Morning," I said by way of greeting. "Kile said there was a bag here from one of the bunkrooms."

Invoking Kile's name headed off some unnecessary trust issues, as intended. "It's here," someone said to my left. I looked over and saw a man bending over to pick up a bag from under the engineering panel. It was indeed the one I was looking for.

I smiled and met his eyes, nodding once as I took the bag from him. "Thank you, soldier. What is your name?"

"Uma Cheram."

He seemed hesitant; probably wanted to ask mine, or expected mine in return. Instead I stepped back and turned to the next man, who was seated in a chair. "And you?"

"Uma Silsarna," he said with a questioning lift of his brows, which I ignored.

I looked at Jorwan next and nodded. "Mister Jorwan."

He started to tremble; excluding his rank must have struck a chord. "Sir."

The last person, a woman, spoke as soon as my gaze alighted on her. "Jennaia Ohneiam, sir."

I had no idea how to spell either part of her name and was certain I would say it wrong whenever I tried, so I made a mental note to ask Aron. "I asked Kile to pass on word, but I may as well tell you myself. We have an operation planned two days from now. It will only require six, but I want everyone ready. Our attacks frequently end up involving multiple ship captures because of surprise arrivals."

"We look forward to proving ourselves, sir," Jorwan said.

"Do you?" I narrowed my eyes on the man, and was glad to see the uncertainty in his eyes. "The last time someone tried too hard to prove themselves, six people almost lost their lives." I looked to each of the others in turn as I went on. "Aron Silsarna believes you're ready. I believe in his ability to determine readiness, as do the other veterans. You have nothing to prove, only work to do. I want you all to be veterans before anyone else joins us, and that means having you all alive. Am I understood?"

Jennaia and Uma Cheram seemed thoughtful. Jorwan was doing his best to hide his feelings, but he seemed conflicted. The last, Uma Silsarna, simply looked shocked. I had implied that I was in charge here, so that was understandable.

I wondered if it would ever get less amusing.

-------------------------------------

After leaving the bridge, I set out to meet the last of the former Marines. There were only three: Sheron Gilharno, Erine Giorno, and Marissa Danar. Something about Argon names bothered me, I started to realize. It was the repetition, of course, but I couldn't quite figure out why it unsettled me.

I left them by transport, arriving on the Zeus that had become our unofficial flagship. Words were being exchanged when I arrived, but they dropped off immediately. I looked around, identifying all present. Mak Yatar, Aron Silsarna, Gu t'Kt, Flot Rana, and Warron Marval. And, to my surprise, Aron was carrying a rifle. "Gentlemen."

"Commander." Something about Aron's tone pulled me around. "We need to talk."

I nodded, my good mood swallowed by foreboding. "You have my attention."

"Each person here still wanted you to go through with the blood price." Five of the sixteen. That was four more than I'd hoped for, arrogant as that seemed. "We have agreed that the price has been paid." He stepped forward and held the weapon out with both hands. And waited. After a moment, I recognized it. It was the one he had used to kill Chianna. "We want you to keep this, to remember the person who paid it for you."

Chianna. There was, to my surprise, nothing accusatory in his gaze. I took the weapon solemnly, fully aware of the gravity of this acceptance. I didn't know what to say, but was spared that when they all thumped a fist on their chests. I had no idea what to make of it.

Gu stepped in front of the bridge door, which opened. "Come. We go now."

I followed without a word.

-------------------------------------

"You do not understand," Gu said a minute later as we walked.

I glanced over at him and shook my head. "No, I don't."

"We saw you resisting necessity. You cared enough to grieve." That was all he said, and for all that I wished he would explain further, perhaps it was enough.

Neither of us spoke for the rest of the walk to the room where the other Split warriors waited.

[Timsup2nothin]

Okay. Probably just as well you didn't eat that boot. They seem to be coming around.

[Poseidon]

Boomerang Boots are dangerous eating.

[Song Of Obsidian]

Chapter 106


Ra t'Ztk had dreams.

Not the sleeping sort of dreams. These visions plagued him during his working hours, and sleeping on the job would make the dreams impossible to fulfill. A drowsy security officer can't spot interlopers on a monitor, after all, and finding what no one else could find would surely garner a commendation. And with it, just perhaps, quittance enough to remove the stain of his father's shame and allow him to seek his own death in honorable service to remove his own shame from the family. That was the best he could do for his young son. And it was enough.

That dream fell to ruins when he saw a visage of death on a monitor, standing outside the security office door.

Ra had no idea how the man had gotten this far without notice, but he had the presence of mind to stand and face the room's single entrance just before the door opened. Sweat broke out over his face, irritating his gills and announcing his terror with all the subtlety of an alarm klaxon.

The first thing he noticed about the man who walked in was the rifle held in his hands. Even that only kept Ra's attention for a moment. His training had not been for naught; he assessed the man's poise, the fluidity of his movements, the methodical way his eyes moved over the room and Ra himself. And he knew for certain that he was about to die, though he hadn't the faintest inkling as to why.

"As you were," Pu t'Tn said with the laconic ease of a bored secretary. Or an executioner. Ra swallowed and sat down, while Pu moved around him and stood at his left side. "All quiet?"

"No disturbances." Ra was rather proud to have kept his voice even. He had heard many stories of this man, and had seen him twice before during the course of his duties at the equipment dock in Cho's Defeat. Never had those sightings been by any means other than a monitor, however.

"Mm." Ra glanced up and saw the man studying the bank of screens that tracked all activity on the station, except in the research center run by Fui t'Sht. The scientist had not wanted anyone to know what went on in that place, and no one wanted to know either.

Then Pu swung his head back toward the still-open door and nodded. An instant later Ra felt a sharp pain behind his right ear, and then...nothing.

-------------------------------------

The job was simple. Let people in who ought to be let in.

The list was a short one. Yo t'Snt had been provided with full dossiers for each of them, and most he had even met in person at some point or another. But this job was complicated by the fact that the research center was lacking in what he regarded as a basic necessity for any high-security facility: an enclosed checkpoint station. Fui t'Sht had chosen to trust in his own fully automated defensive mechanisms, so such a station had never been built. Those mechanisms had since been disabled to prevent incidents during the center's inventory and research audits, so Yo was forced to stand outside the lab's fortified door for this particular temporary assignment.

Traffic had been light thus far. Finding people willing to sift through the records kept by one of the most abhorrent minds of the generation continued to prove difficult. No one wanted that shame on their conscience, not even by mere association.

Yo t'Snt could understand reluctance, but he was eager to be quit of the assignment so he could go home. Until the next assignment came up, at least, which was usually a few days. Even so, his eagerness was not fervent enough to inspire any pleasure when someone did finally approach the door he was meant to guard.

Pu t'Tn was on the short list. He was one of the few that Yo had never met, and Yo would have been perfectly content to live a long life without making that acquaintance. But Pu t'Tn strode down the long hall that dead-ended at the door by which he stood, a rifle held at the end of one lazily swinging arm, and three others followed behind.

The handler spared Yo only a single glance, then looked at the door he obviously intended to walk through. The dismissal stung and shamed him, but he would do nothing. Not even if Pu was alone. And the man knew it too, which was even more infuriating.

Pu came to a halt a few steps from the door, and Yo hastened to enter his code on the panel beside it, while retinal and facial recognition scanners simultaneously verified his identity. "Is anyone else inside?" Pu asked behind him in a way that was every bit as predatory as Yo had ever imagined.

"Three men, Honored One," he replied. "They are charged with inventory of basic supplies in the unit's storage facilities only and have no access to any restricted materials."

"Mm," was all he received by way of acknowledgement.

The door opened on its own power, and Pu stepped past without hesitation. The men with him followed, and Yo started to breathe easier.

Until something heavy pressed into his throat and a large hand pushed the top of his head over to the side, painfully. He closed his eyes, accepting inevitability.

-------------------------------------

Pu t'Tn stopped just inside the door to take in the scene. Half a dozen Split were at work taking an inventory of the various weapon racks and equipment cages that were crammed in along the walls of the rectangular room. Two more, one wearing the uniform of the sector's security arm and the other in nondescript clothing, stood in the middle of the room, staring at him. But the most interesting parties, and far more relevant than those standing, were the four bodies spread about the room. They had not been moved, as far as he could tell; two were almost directly in front of him, sprawled out where they had evidently fallen. Another was at the feet of the two at the middle of the room, and the last was off to the right side, being examined without being touched by another Split in a security uniform.

He finally approached the pair overseeing the clean-up. The uniformed one spoke first. "Honored One, I am-"

"Tell me the facts." That was all this one had to offer him.

The security officer's gills fluttered, and he cleared his throat before answering quickly. "Four dead. One was assigned here by the Interior to restrict access. The other three were only custodians and shouldn't have been in this part of the facility. It appears they were killed by the officer. He stabbed one in the back of the neck at the door and shot the other two, but his neck is broken. We have to assume-"

Pu raised a hand to silence him. He had already come to a similar conclusion. That was how everything appeared, but he was not the sort to take things at face value. "Was anything taken?"

"Most certainly, Honored One," the other Split answered. "Several of the weapon racks have empty spaces, but they may never have been filled. Two of the cages were open though, and Administrator Fui t'Sht was not known for carelessness."

Administrator, he thought with a contemptuous stare fixed on the man. Any who covered up truth with hollow words belonged among the Honorless. "What was taken?"

The two exchanged a glance. "We don't know."

Pu's icy stare shifted from one to the other. "You have had two hours on-site, and you don't know what was taken?"

The security officer flinched, but it was the other who spoke. "Honored One, no one from Interior had yet arrived to begin cataloguing everything. They-"

Pu cut him off with a quiet growl. Requests for trusted members of some of the Families to come for this delicate operation had been sent out by the Patriarch himself, and requests made by the Patriarch of All Families were not subject to dismissal or delay. I told him to let me handle this. But no. He wanted to take a measure of their loyalty. And so he has.

This would not be the first time multiple Families had lost their heads simultaneously.

"What of the security and observation systems?"

"Someone broke into the security hub and destroyed the equipment, Honored One," the security officer said shakily. "The officer on duty is missing. The station's communication relays were also disabled. We don't know how that was achieved yet."

Failure. Failure after failure. This was one of the most heavily defended sectors in Split space, and someone had walked into a secret research facility and flown off with an indeterminate number of weapons or equipment of indeterminate nature. All without leaving a trace. "And docking manifests?"

"Flight and landing control's computer data storage was sabotaged, Honored One. The records have been lost."

No one enjoys being the bearer of bad news. Pu knew this, and knew these two simpletons were not truly to blame, but the honor and integrity of the state needed to be upheld. Their sacrifices would be honored...if not necessarily remembered. "Your reports are to be completed and placed in the hands of a courier who will arrive within the half hour. You are not to communicate with anyone else, on- or off-site, nor are you to leave this facility until you see me again in person." He turned away, and said quietly, "I need to speak with the Patriarch."

[Song Of Obsidian]

Chapter 107


The hangar deck of the Zeus was abuzz with activity. Very loud activity. Marissa Halter's squad, with Kile Colard attached to it, was testing each of the stolen weapons for functionality by firing them at a stack of crates that would not feel their effects. The warriors were making sure they were in working order, as well as getting a feel for their projectile speeds. Meanwhile another cluster of people were going over the computerized data readouts for each weapon. They needed to know how they worked, how long a person would be rendered unconcious, if there was greater danger from any particular weapon, any relevant variables that might come into play for each...

I stood on the observation deck, just watching. My part was done, for the day; I had cracked the cipher that made the data unreadable and provided the means for success in the mission to come. It was their job to figure out how to achieve that success.

Kaylen raised an unusual-looking weapon with two grips that was significantly shorter than most of the rifles they were used to. A moment later the weapon discharged, bucking sharply despite the woman's strength. There was no projectile that I could see, but the air seemed to ripple in a way that made me question whether or not my eyes were working properly. The wave of...whatever it was, expanded outward and upward as it moved forward, but the only effect it seemed to have was a faint shuddering of latches or handles on the crates.

I didn't want to consider the option, but it might be necessary to have the weapons tested on live subjects before sending my people into harm's way with them.

A scuffing sound altered me to the approach of another behind me. The sound was repeated, at regular intervals, and I smiled faintly. Damned woman.

Nyota appeared at the corner of my vision with an odd little hop to end her skipping. I opened my mouth to greet her, but she spoke first. "You're not supposed to go anywhere without me," she said teasingly, and the low tone of her voice caused a little stutter in my heartbeat to go along with certain remembered sensations and images in my head.

"Can't always be helped," I said with some effort to keep my breathing even. "But I hear you kept busy."

"Yup. Went for a cruise through Argon space and found a Heavy Nemesis patrolling in Wastelands. Aron thought it would be good for them to practice on one that didn't have shields."

I nodded, though this conversation felt very...awkward. I knew why. I was used to Nyota calling me 'sir', but the...change, in our relationship made it unlikely that I would ever hear her say it again. And she didn't even know my name. None of them did.

"A good decision. How many boarding pods do we have?"

"Twenty-four on the Minotaur, and two of the Ares' have some. I think around twenty between them."

"Not going to be enough, once we get busy again. I'd appreciate if you could make a circuit around to buy more."

"I'll need money," Nyota said without hesitation. "And Aron wants some surveillance equipment to put on the Nemesis so he can watch the practice."

I considered that. Definitely a good idea, but it would mean shopping trips to pirate bases. I felt a quiet panic at the idea of Nyota going to such installations, even if I sent a squad with her. Which I decided right then that I would anyway. "I'll take care of that. And take Ban's squad with you on your trip. Things are looking crowded down there."

"Babysitters?" Her face loomed in front of my vision at an angle, and I saw amusement clearly in her eyes.

"Protectors, unless there's-" I closed my mouth, eyes widening as my brain caught up to the words I was just about to say. I glanced down at her stomach, shocked that I would say or even think such a thing, and shocked by the slip of my self-control.

Nyota blushed prettily and grinned, then kissed my cheek. "You worry too much." Then she walked away, leaving me to puzzle over my own emotions.

Damned woman.

[Timsup2nothin]

Ah, the half Split half Argon bastard child...there would be a story in that one for sure.

[Song Of Obsidian]

Chapter 108


There was a brief burst of static, and then the recording ended.

"That's all of it?"

"Yesss."

"And what do you think?"

Hohindras' lips pinched together and puckered out, and his gaze grew distant. He was thinking, but I knew him and Teladi in general well enough to know that he was not thinking about what to do with the offer. He had already made up his mind, and was only trying to figure out how to sell it to me.

"The merger hasss merit," he said carefully. "But their board of directorss hasss more memberss than their fleet." He sighed gustily, and I understood the derisive gesture. People at the top have expectations, and one of them is remaining at the top. "I could give their CEO his research facility. That iss his passion."

"And the others?"

"An ultimatum," he said without hesitation, which only confirmed that he had already worked out his own plan for the merge. "Pilot trade shipss, work with Met Danar to improve mining operationss, or accept bankruptcy." The Teladi shrugged. To him, the answer was a foregone conclusion. But sometimes pride outstripped profit.

"And will there be enough work to go around for that many people."

He grinned at me. "We could always build more stations."

Typical. He was already building the most ambitious complex in the universe and still wanted more profit opportunities. Damned Teladi. "I recognize inevitability well enough. Make your offer to them and start looking for more opportunities to keep their board busy." That was assuming Hohindras was not already a step ahead, and I was sure he was. "Anything else?"

He responded in the negative and we signed off. I was almost back in transport range of the Zeus anyway, and I was not alone. The visit to Veil of Delusion had yielded an unexpected bounty: apparently Chianna had left some of my hired warriors there for training, and they had languished there ever since. And 'some' was an understatement. It was a mixed group, including all the rest of the Paranid and Teladi I had taken off the pirate base with Elmanckardet after he saved my life. I had to bring in Gall to carry out the rest of the group of twenty while I piloted Gull, and I was still unsure just what I was going to do with this group. They Paranid would best serve with Elmanckardet. Where to keep the Argon and Split was easy, but it was the Teladi that most interested me. Adding what would look like Teladi mercenaries to either operation could have interesting side effects, if I played it right...

[MoonlightMassacre]

Jst finished reading whats done so far. Very interesting dynamics between your characters. Great work mate

[nebus]

[Song Of Obsidian]

'Tis the season for the return of writers to the X-universe, apparently.

This one feels rough, but I'm going to cleave my own OCD in twain and just post it so I can move on. Yeah, I read everyone else's threads too.


Chapter 109


The panel clicked back into place, and I crouched, moving my head left and right, up and down, until I was satisfied that the vid recorder was completely invisible on the other side of the one-way transparent piece of plasteel. Then I left the room, headed for the Zeus' hangar deck.

The day just past had been a busy one, for all of us. Satellites were deployed along the Pirate Highway, and the target ship had been located again less than an hour previous. A plan of battle had been drawn up, contingencies made, ships prepared.

But not all of the day's activities had been pleasant or mundane.

I stared at the door to the ship's medical bay as I passed, my heart a leaden weight. Mak Yatar wouldn't be joining us for the operation to come; he had been hit by one of the experimental and supposedly non-lethal guns and had yet to wake. His vitals were still strong, but I was worried about brain damage. There was little we could do for him without an actual medical staff, and that sense of powerlessness rankled and cast a pall over my mood.

His absence left me with twenty-seven warriors available for the operation, since we hadn't had a chance to evaluate those I recovered at the pirate base. Or rather, twenty-six, accounting for a decision I had made after the accident. Six for the Heavy Nemesis, and twenty on standby in case we found an advantageous opportunity. It would be foolish not to be ready, but I didn't really feel inclined to risk it today. Perhaps it was the specter of Mak's injury hanging over my conscience, but I just wanted to succeed. That and nothing more.

The hangar opened up before me, and all was still and silent. The crates that had served as targets the day before were scattered about with commandos sitting or leaning on them. Otherwise the space had nothing in common with the last scene I remembered. Everything that was intended for the mission to come had been stored away, and all but one of my people were kitted out and ready for battle; Yana Selek, a man I was less familiar with than some of the others, had volunteered to stay behind with Mak. They waited only for me.

I scanned the lot of them and paused a short distance away. There were some missing. Just as I was about to ask, however, gazes shifted past me. I started to turn, but my face was intercepted unexpectedly. I felt something soft and warm press to my skin just below and behind my eye, then recognized Nyota's face as she withdrew and skipped past me.

A few others walked by as well. Frenk Nedley caught my eye and started to smile, then looked away. Bemused, I spun around to stare at Nyota's back as she walked behind the gathered warriors, blocking my view. That kiss was the first open display of affection either of us had shown the other. I spared a quick glance around. Most of my veterans either appeared amused or were studiously showing no expression at all. The former Marines were a more mixed lot. Brent Jorwan, unsurprisingly, looked disgusted, but others either seemed confused or had picked up on the amusement of the others. Or both. The confusion was understandable; they had come to us from an organization that had regulations against relationships of this sort.

I had no idea what to make of this. This was something I hadn't quite thought through.

"Aron," I said curtly, and everyone came to attention, though many grins remained.

"We're ready, Commander."

I nodded slowly. "Yana, you know how to read the ship scanners?"

"Aye, Commander. We went over 'em, me 'n Brent."

I smiled appreciatively at the former Marine, though I couldn't say how much he appreciated the gesture. I needed to find a niche for him. That bitterness couldn't stand. "Then all is set. I'll transport Marissa's squad to the Minotaur. The rest of you will go to the Cerberus until the boarding operation is underway. Any questions?"

Kile waved to get my attention. "Think the Heirs will ever have a crest, Commander?"

The question set me back a bit. A crest? It made sense, but this wasn't the sort of thing my people would likely think of. The idea probably started with the Marines. Military organizations usually had some sort of emblem or insignia to identify with. But even that wasn't the most interesting thing about the question. No, it was the expectant way he and several others were looking at me that had me intrigued. "I hadn't thought about it. Do you have something in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe something with a really deep red, since you wear the color so well."

That made no sense at all. I was wearing greys. Of course, I looked down to make sure and heard snickering. Knowing that I was the butt of some joke was infuriatingly annoying. I started to scowl at Kile, but someone else drew my eye. Nyota was leaning over his shoulder, and her grinning lips were coated in rich, glossy red.

I blinked, then touched my cheek and looked at my fingers. And sighed.

-------------------------------------

Split Fire was clear. Olmancketslat's Treaty had a Paranid freighter. Not a concern. A few freighters that might consider me hostile were wandering through Brennan's Triumph, but no serious threats. In Hatikvah's Faith, a Split battle group led by a Dragon traveled toward the north gate. Not a concern. Nopileos' Memorial was a battleground, a Xenon P trading blows with a Boron Heavy Hydra. The Boron had a fighter escort though, so they should clean up before long. That left Danna's Chance.

Our target was flying on a vector for the east gate to Nopileos', unescorted. I noted that its speed was at the ship design's maximum level, just 5.5 m/s slower than Sprite, but couldn't recall if that had been the case the last time I scouted it out.

There were a couple other Paranid ships in transit through the sector: a Demeter Hauler, which didn't concern me, and a Helios military transport, which did. The satellite reading showed three fighters aboard, and a Pericles was already flying around it in a defensive pattern. Both of those ships were near the east gate but heading toward the north. A few other ships were about, Boron transports, but my only worry about them was in making sure they didn't get hit by stray weapons fire.

The Helios wasn't really a threat unless it had high-end fighters aboard, but I was wary of a trap, especially since I would be flying solo for the first part of the operation. I didn't want to bring the boarding operation into Nopileos' though. There was the risk of Xenon intervention, and I would have to wait until it got far enough from the gate to bring in my other ships. That was assuming I could get it in a favorable position at all, given our slim speed differences. And since I needed everyone on the Heavy Nemesis alive, I couldn't risk damaging it. I would have to put myself at risk to keep those shields down, and to fry its turreted weapons and any critical components it might have, such as a jumpdrive or sentry lasers. And during this entire time I had to keep an eye out for Argon or Paranid interference.

My decision made, I initiated the jump into Danna's Chance. "Don't fall asleep over there."

"I'll be ready for the word," Nyota replied from the helm of the Minotaur just before a swirling tunnel appeared before me.

The Eclipse leapt into the sector and I swung around to the right, heading northwest. The Helios was only at half speed, three kilometers away. I targeted the Nemesis and checked the range. Nine kilometers. It might be tight, but I should have enough time.

I started the engagement with a stream of high energy plasma, and watched the lines of green energy strike home on the military transport's shields. The ship had double my shielding so the damage was minimal, but the ship started to turn around and its fighters, which were nothing more than another Pericles and two Pegasus scouts, launched.

About then my shields started sparking above me. I didn't know where this attack was coming from so I initiated a jump back to the gate and looked up. A couple fighter drones were above me, Mark II's, if the PAC fire pouring onto me was any indication. I strafed right and put my sluggish fighter into a dive, for all the good that would do.

The jump back into the sector didn't change much. I was still in range of the drones, but I switched to plasma burst generators and turned toward the cloud racing my way. Gouts of flame rushed out to intercept the fast but fragile drones, and moments later I was in the clear. Just not for long.

I saw the freighter that must have dumped them and scowled. I should have expected that, but I had higher priorities now. The fighters were closing and my shields were already in the red, so I switched back to HEPTs to try to catch them at a distance. The first scout exploded under the barrage, but I missed the second. It zipped past me, peppering my shields with impulse ray emitters. I decided to ignore that and put more plasma in the path of the first interceptor. The other Pegasus crossed in front of me again, only to detonate under the fire of my turrets. My target Pericles flared and disintegrated a moment later, and the second one turned back the way it came.

The Helios was bearing down on me, but I elected to hit the freighter first. Its shields lasted a lot longer than I expected; the Demeter Hauler apparently had full shielding and I only had a couple longer range weapons installed. Still, it was only a matter of time.

But just when I started to turn away, the Paranid pilot left me a parting gift: another cluster of fighter drones.

The freighter exploded as I swerved back, flames pouring from the front of my fighter. I reacted fast enough that most of the drones didn't have time to activate. I took a few hits as I flew through the debris cloud, but none of the drones survived.

Streaks of light blue impacted my shields, then passed above as I turned toward my new offender. It was the Helios. "One damned thing after another," I muttered as the targeting brackets centered on the transport. I started to take hull damage during the exchange, but my flamethrowers won out in the end...and just in time to see the telltale golden cylindrical rounds from ion shard railguns reachching out for me. My actual target had entered the fray.

I put Sprite into a slow downward corkscrew and started another jump sequence, this time to the north gate. I wasn't worried about evading ion shards, but while the drive counted down I scanned the enemy ship. Sentry lasers...those would have to go. All of its turrets were fully armed as well, which meant significant risk to my boarding pods.

This would not be a fun fight.

Upon re-entry to the sector I climbed above the median plane and put some distance between myself and the gate. The Heavy Nemesis was too fast in this small sector.

Stripping the shields off the target wasn't difficult. Keeping under and slightly ahead of it to limit my exposure to its turrets and main battery was more challenging. It would have gone faster if I still had pulsed beam emitters on my fighter, but I had too many short-range weapons installed already. I was really too close for the flamethrowers, so I had to use HEPTs. Tedious affair, but as we circled each other my shields were holding around sixty percent consistently while the corvette's continued to lose strength.

"Elena's Pride sighted in Split Fire."

I was glad Nyota was paying attention, because I hadn't been. After a quick mental calculation, I figured we had between ten and twelve minutes, depending on where the Colossus was in Split Fire and assuming it flew at max speed through Brennan's Triumph. Which it would, if the Argon knew we were here.

"Acknowledged. Try to estimate its speed. Target's shields are low. Be ready to jump at a moment's notice."

I didn't hear what she said in reply, because I had higher priorities. Nyota's helpful announcement reminded me of the dangers of tunnel vision. I took stock of my present situation. To start with, three kilometers from the north gate put the target in the worst possible position for our circumstances and objective. And now I had a time limit. I pulled up map of Split Fire and saw the carrier battle group immediately. It was still near the gate to Elena's Fortune, and I saw a new signature move in. A Cerberus, likely an escort. Nyota must have been keeping a close eye on the scanners, to have caught it so quickly.

The Colossus wasn't moving at speed yet, so I moved my estimate up to twenty minutes. That still wasn't very long, not when I needed to hit the Heavy Nemesis with ion disruptors. And while some of the Boron were giving us a wide berth, not all were, so I needed to lead the target away from the shipping lane so the disruptors didn't make me a few extra enemies.

I waited until we were nearly facing the south gate, then accelerated and went right past the corvette's nose. It didn't fire its main battery fast enough to hit me, and my rear turret continued to wear down its shields while I opened up a small gap between us.

Aler-

The computerized voice cut off as a large explosion registered on the target camera. I deactivated the rear turret as soon as I saw it; whoever was flying back there was completely lacking in common sense. The corvette's shielding was down to four percent, the consequence of a missile detonating as soon as it cleared the launch tube. Good thing it hadn't been a bigger missile.

The front of the Heavy Nemesis lit up, bright yellow, and I was forced to start evasive maneuvers to dodge ion shards. The asteroids ahead would normally have been my best friends, but I couldn't risk my foe colliding with one of them. So I put my fighter into a dive.

Or started to. Then I thought better of it and reversed directions, bringing the Eclipse's nose up until I flipped over, and hit the Nemesis with its first ion strike.

What was left of its shields evaporated and the larger ship slowed down even further. As usual, my own strafing started to grow more sluggish while I sustained fire on the target, but the maneuver worked. Both left and right side turrets started to fire on me, but one of the weapons on the left side, a fragmentation bomb launcher, ceased almost immediately. I started a strafing roll toward that side, checked the position of the Colossus again, and pulled Nyota back up on the comms. "We have a new plan."

"Go ahead." Sir, she should have said. Amazing the things one grows accustomed to.

"Jump in at the south gate in two minutes and come straight for me. When I tell you to, launch a flail barrage at me. Count to ten and launch a second one."

I glanced at the screen and saw the anticipated puzzled expression on her face, but she nodded. "Yes, sir."

Surprise does amazing things, too.

-------------------------------------

Those two eternal minutes dragged on and on, but I was rewarded for my lifetimes of patience when the sentry lasers vanished from the equipment list of the target. Somewhere in the process both rear turret weapons and one from the right side were disabled as well. I kept up the ion storm; they had to know I was trying to capture them now.

I checked our positioning, and took a deep, steadying breath. "Launch the first barrage."

"There's an asteroid between us."

I smiled faintly, though I wasn't in the mood to be questioned right then. "Trust me."

Alert. Missile launch detected. Why did the immediacy of that announcement make me think she was angry with me?

I broke off from my attack and flew almost straight down. I wasn't entirely comfortable with this new plan, but the time limit made my usual profoundly patient approach impossible.

Alert. Missile launch detected.

I was committed.

My attacker, however, was not. The Heavy Nemesis slowed down and didn't pursue. Nor had I expected it to. They had to have seen the Minotaur on their scanners, and with my intentions so obvious, they had no reason to expose themselves to the missile frigate. So I had to give them a reason.

Sprite's missile warning system started chirping at me, and I ignored it. "Mark the Nemesis as friendly, for now."

"Yes, sir," Nyota said quietly.

I cleared the asteroid and saw the spiraling formation of missiles, then turned away from them and initiated a jump to the south gate. The warning sounds became louder and more insistent, but still I ignored them. And continued to ignore them until...

The fighter shook violently through several consecutive explosions. Moments later I entered a wormhole and reappeared in the sector at the south gate. The second group of missiles swerved around to chase me, and I set a course toward the northwest at half speed. Checked range to target, range to the Minotaur, location of Elena's Pride. And waited.

The Nemesis peeked out from under the asteroid, as I hoped. "Launch three more flails at me, with a few seconds between each."

"Sir, are you out of your mind?" Maybe she wasn't angry, but she was certainly frustrated.

"No, I'm in a hurry. Don't worry. I'll survive this. But turn around to face me and get ready to launch boarding pods at the rear of that corvette."

Nyota might have understood my intent then, but I couldn't be certain because she scowled at me and closed the channel.

Alert. Missile launch detected.

[Scion Drakhar]

I'm actually embarrassed to admit this but I just read chapter one and loved it. The fact that I just now read it is the embarrassing bit, not the loving it. You have excellent narrative skills.

Okay... nuff said. I shall continue reading.

[Song Of Obsidian]

There might only be one Scion, but I've enjoyed this story and hope you enjoy the rest of it too.


Chapter 109(continued)


Improvisation, I thought as I stared at the blank monitor, is not for the faint of heart.

I didn't have time to sooth Nyota's frayed nerves, or whatever else was actually bothering her. I had to sell this Minotaur as an enemy charade, so I opened a comm channel to the Nemesis. "In the mood to talk?"

The Paranid who appeared where Nyota's face had just been grinned a hard, mirthless grin. "In mood to kill."

"This day you will fail," I said with a nonchalant shrug, while at the same time rotating the Eclipse's nose and spraying flames in the paths of one of the flail barrages I had told Nyota to fire at me. None of them hit me. "But no one needs to die if you'll just tell me who hired you to kill me."

"I tell you nothing."

I sighed, but not out of any real disappointment. The Paranid's grin started to fade, then bloomed again through sheer force of will. But the uncertainty was there. "A shame, Krimanckelttak, a shame. If you have nothing to offer, I may as well just destroy you. Goodbye."

I closed the channel. I had given him just enough to know that he had been betrayed, and not by his client. Convincing him that the Minotaur was on his side hadn't fit into the conversation, but I could see on the sensors that the Nemesis was again at full speed, heading toward me. Perfect.

I put myself on a collision course with him, deviating only long enough to destroy the missile barrages, and somewhat hesitantly called Nyota again. "Need you to get as close to us as possible. I'll let you know when to launch the boarding pods."

She nodded but didn't reply. Other than to launch another barrage at me. Must be reading my mind. Or just angry.

The flails arrived before the Nemesis, and I dispatched them as cleanly as all the others. One final check of Brennan's Triumph showed the Colossus perhaps twenty kilometers from the south gate. Not much time left.

This dogfight began just as the previous one had. I evaded ion shards, but this time poured some fire over the corvette and watched with alarm as the shields dropped a lot faster than I anticipated. I must have knocked out some of the shield generators with ion disruptors and failed to notice. I didn't want him to realize I was setting him up again, so using the disruptors again was out. Circling too, as much to avoid getting the boarding pods shot down as anything else. So when the Nemesis started to turn, I kept going, toward the Minotaur. And another round of flails.

Her timing couldn't have been better. It gave me the perfect excuse to move the battle closer to her. I had to dodge ion shards, but after I destroyed the missiles I switched to HEPTs and turned around for what I hoped would be the final pass of this fight.

The longer range of the HEPT gave me enough time to finish the target's shields. On an impulse I swerved off to the right, the rest of my weapons fire 'missing' the Nemesis and leaving it unscathed. The Minotaur was just three kilometers out now; it was time. "Launch the boarding pods," I said with more calm than I felt as I toggled off all but a single high energy plasma thrower. We only had one chance at this, and I didn't consider any of the people in those pods to be expendable.

As soon as I said the words, I flipped around and began the tedious task of managing the corvette's shield level. The pair of boarding pods impacted less than seven seconds after launch, and I heard Marissa announce, very matter-of-factly, that cutting had commenced.

I listened to the boarding op but didn't receive the status reports I was accustomed to. Perhaps Marissa felt the need to concentrate more on the operation with the experimental weapons and the fact that all those Paranid were still breathing. It wreaked havoc on my nerves, even more so when Nyota cut in quietly.

"Sir, to the northeast." I looked, and saw the Elena's Pride battle group. It appeared to have been heading for the east gate, but now the carrier was turning our way. "Do you want to take it?"

I shook my head. "No. They're not our enemy." Nyota's expression was thoughtful, and I was tempted to close the channel, save for the fact that we would need to communicate for our departure. And thinking of that reminded me to jump the Magnetar in. Our new prisoner transport would need a new jumpdrive.

"Computer core reached."

I strained to listen, but didn't hear any weapons fire. I almost asked if they had taken any casualties, but decided not to make a nuisance of myself until their job was done.

Our four ships jumped out of the sector less than a minute later, with the Argon battle group only eighteen kilometers away.

[Sabrina Bergin]

Song:
No you are not scion but you write a damn good story, so don't knock yourself.
Looking forward to the next update.

PS: Like you I read every thing posted on this forum its always nice to see talent emerging or a rare glimpse of genius appear.