Alpha One: The Kronan (30 page)

Kravos was in a good mood when the senate negotiation team arrived from Earth.

The negotiations were truncated but the Kryl’s main objectives were met: to domicile his people and source a local and enduring supply of food. The only thing required now was his ratification and the battle would cease. His people could commence their settlement and repair the damage that so long without habitation and relief from pain had brought.

Harrington and Stevenson were now aboard and he waited patiently. The Queen had already expressed her gratitude and Morvalt was ready to assume his responsibility as Governor of the Kryl’s Earth Colony. The negotiators entered the sanctuary and Kravos moved forward to greet them.

“I presume that your superiors have now ratified the agreement?”

“Yes. Have your people completed their verification of the document?”

“Of course, Colonel Harrington. I should address Ms Stevenson now as Major. Everybody has benefitted.”

Carla saw red mist and could not hold back. “Are you for real? What benefit do we have?”

“Major, I have been through this many times before. Without this agreement, your people would be lost and your species would die. You may not accept it now but in time you will. I think it is quite remarkable how someone with your background has grown during this process. Your hatred of the Kryl was clear when you first walked in this room and look at you now—a senior officer and an architect of the most important agreement in Earth’s history. Your name will be immortalized over time.”

Harrington could see that Kravos’ antagonistic response worked and Carla was seething. It was time to intervene.

“With respect, I believe we are here to ratify this agreement. It is in the best interest of both our peoples for us to do this straight away. Do you have any objections?”

“Ever the diplomat. Very well, may I have the official document?”

Harrington placed his diplomatic case on the table, opened it, and pulled out a thick leather clad document. He opened it on the ratification page to show Kravos that the ECG President and Alpha’s CIC had indeed ratified the agreement.

“Well, how appropriate that you have bound this document with the skin of one of your own livestock. Let me just refresh the salient points. Please take a seat.”

Kravos started on page one and read.

After twenty minutes passed, Harrington could stay silent no longer, “Do you intend to read the entire document from cover to cover? If you do—given that this document is exactly the same as the draft version you received earlier this afternoon, perhaps we should return to our ship.”

“Do you wish me to verify something to which I am not certain of its content?”

Carla was still fuming and she wanted the matter closed as quickly as possible. “We have software which can verify any differences between the documents. I’m sure you have similar if not more advanced capabilities. People are still dying on both sides. We can stop this if you ratify now!”

“Automated verification can miss things. I am going to continue and I would consider it an affront if you elect to return to your ship.”

Harrington and Carla said nothing and allowed Kravos to continue. He was reading at an astonishing rate and was nearly half way through the document.

Two Kryl drones arrived with refreshments.

“I have taken the liberty of bringing Earth coffee on board. I believe it can be served with milk and sugar. Please help yourself.”

Carla looked at Harrington and shrugged her shoulders before lifting the coffee pot and pouring drinks for both of them.

Kravos finished the document fifteen minutes later, having read over two hundred pages of script and data in just over three quarters of an hour. He took a pen from his jacket and signed the document on the ratification page.

“This agreement is now in place and the war between our two peoples will cease immediately. You will drop your shields, allow our Kronan to land, and visit your leaders. Please have some more coffee while I make the necessary notifications.”

“We need to contact our people.”

“That can wait. You must learn respect for your superiors. You will address me as Mutan Kravos and bow your head when you first greet me. There will be other forms of conduct which you will now uphold.”

Harrington had heard enough but remained diplomatic. “With respect, these are not terms of our agreement. We will honor the terms for which we have agreed and we will do our best to uphold your traditions, in terms of greetings etcetera, and we would expect you to do the same. You are not our superiors—we are equal partners in this agreement.”

Kravos laughed.

“It matters not what the agreement says. You are defeated and you signed a surrender document to prevent your race from being annihilated. Your signature to this document is both humiliating and a clear sign of your inferiority. You will bow to us and you will learn respect.”

Shouting now, Kravos turned on Carla.

“You remain protected by your diplomatic status while on this mission. Please be assured one day, I will find you when diplomacy is not an issue and I will personally squeeze the soul from your body. I hold you and Jake Carter responsible for the death of Navalion and I will not stop until revenge has been delivered.”

Turning back towards both negotiators in a rage, he shouted again. “You will wait here until my return and then you may leave!”

Kravos turned on his feet and left the room, leaving both Harrington and Carla with the mouths agape.
What had they done?

Morvalt was incredulous.
Why would she do this? She had him and allowed him to escape. She must have done so deliberately.

Jake Carter was back in his shuttle and fleeing the Queen’s fleet. He would not get far. Morvalt ignored the protests of his crew. He was now governor and the humans could wait. Someone had to avenge Navalion’s death.

They drew closer and Morvalt once again reached inside Carters mind but he was resisting.
Carter seems stronger and more resilient than
before.
What has the Queen done to him?
Morvalt pulled himself deeper into Carter’s mind but still he had no control. He should be feeling it by now. The pain should make him surrender. Yet something was wrong, there was no resistance from Carter. It was he struggling to make the connection.

* * * *

The Kryl fighters caught up with the shuttle first. They surrounded the Eagle and peppered it with plasma cannon bursts. The shuttle was in trouble before but now she was listing and yet she continued. Morvalt’s ship was in range and he had no intention of waiting for the shuttle to stutter to a halt. He drew out of Carter’s mind and opened his mind, seeking out the shuttle’s own unique electrical impulses. If Carter would not stop his ship then he would stop it for him.

Now he had partial control of the shuttle but somehow he still had no control over the drive and navigation systems. Carter had blocked him from them
. How did he achieve that?

* * * *

Jake was under no illusions. Jonathan Hoskins told him how Morvalt was able to control ships and he already decided he was not getting control of the Eagle. He had accessed the ship’s NAVCOM and placed a complex algorithmic code in the software’s operating program. The NAVCOM tried to resolve the near paradoxical code and moved the less important navigational and drive functions to a secure subroutine. Morvalt would not access it easily from there. He checked the power reserves—two minutes of power—then everything shut down. Not even the distress call had yielded any assistance.

So, this was it. All that effort to get off the Kryl ship and it would all end here.
He felt absolutely empty as if everything that mattered to him suddenly just vaporized—even his dear beautiful Carla.

The Alpha battle cruiser arrived just as the shuttle digested its last kilowatt of power. The Halo 7 was back.

* * * *

The battle cruiser caught Morvalt’s cruiser completely unaware. The Kryl vessel was only partially shielded with no additional fighters in her hanger bay. Within minutes, the Halo 7 flooded the battle scene with twenty-five Jump Ships which quickly finished off the three fighters and now pummeled the Kryl cruiser with lasers, plasma cannons, and tiger missies. The Alpha ship added to the melee by discharging its PBA and an array of Teutonic’s straight into the hull of the Kryl vessel.

* * * *

Jake was only partially aware of the events around him. Morvalt entered his mind again,In its weakened state, he was an easy target, yet the probing was less intense than before.

The Kryl cruiser positioned itself to dock with the shuttle. Jake stood up, left the cockpit, and headed into the cargo area and to the main access doors. From here, Morvalt could access the shuttle and Jake would have nothing left to give. Jake unlocked the access doors and allowed the Kryl umbilical to lock onto the access portal. Three Kryl drones accessed the shuttle.

Morvalt still intended to secure his kill. His ship docked with the shuttle and his drones entered. Now he joined them.

He entered the main cargo deck to see Jake Carter collapsed in a ball on the floor.

“Get up Carter.”

Jake looked up and recognized his nemesis once again. He stayed down.

“Would it make any difference if I get up Morvalt? You are going to kill me anyway.”

“Quite possibly, but not yet. Take him aboard my ship and secure him.”

The guards carried the limp body of Jake Carter through the docking tunnel with Morvalt following. The docking clamps were removed, Once safely inside the Kryl ship, Morvalt re-focused his attention back towards the Halo 7.

His shields were severely depleted and she was not his target. Carter was in his custody and he had official duties to attend to on Earth. There was little point sticking around, waiting for the damage to his ship to become serious.

“Turn us around and head back towards the fleet. This battle is over.”

“Carter has been taken by Morvalt. His ship is turning about,and heading back to the Kryl fleet. How should we respond?”

“Comms, can we verify that the distress call definitely originated from the Eagle?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Helm, pursuit speed. Keep the Jump Ships out there. Let’s slow that Kryl ship down.”

The Halo 7 commenced her chase on auxiliary power. Morvalt’s ship’s drives were badly damaged and she was slowing down.

“Major De Vere to the command bridge.” Hoskins would bring Jake back and nothing was going to stop him.

“We are getting very close to the Kryl fleet. We will be putting ourselves in grave danger if we continue.”

“We owe it to him and in any case, we are still a long way out. Morvalt’s ship is crippled. This recovery will be a swift in and out and then we get the hell out of here.”

“Okay. Can I suggest we bring in the Jump Ships, they have done their bit?”

Hoskins pondered his response “Agreed, see to it.”

“Sir, incoming message from Fleet command. The battle is over and a negotiated settlement is in place. They are requesting acknowledgement.”

Hoskins looked at his XO. “I don’t think Morvalt is following any agreement.”

“Comms. ignore the message. We did not receive it.”

“But, Sir...”

“You have your orders.”

Commander Jacques was about to protest.

“Morvalt is a Kronan. He would know about an agreement way before fleet command did and he chose to ignore it. We are going to rescue Carter.”

Major Richard De Vere, the Halo 7’s Marine Commander entered the bridge.

“Ah Major. I want you to board the Kryl vessel and recover Lieutenant Jake Carter. Use any means necessary.”

De Vere acknowledged and set off to coordinate his sortie.

* * * *

On board Morvalt’s ship, the damage was taking its toll. It was clear the Halo 7’s commander did not intend to give up. It was time to persuade him to do so.

“Open a communication channel with the Alpha ship.”

* * * *

“Sir, the Kryl ship has opened a comm. link.”

“Okay, let’s have it.”

“Commander Hoskins, I am Morvalt, Kronan and now Governor of Earth. You are aware that there is an agreement in place between our peoples and your attack on my ship is a contravention of that. Stand down or be destroyed.”

“Morvalt, you have one of my officers aboard your ship. I want him returned and then we will back off. Your kidnapping of Alpha personnel would clearly be in breach of any agreement.”

“Jake Carter came aboard my ship of his own free will.”

“That’s crap. Release Carter to us immediately or prepare to be boarded.”

Morvalt took a moment to respond. Time was catching up with the Halo 7 commander. Soon re-enforcements would arrive.

“If you attempt to board you will be unsuccessful. We will not hesitate to defend ourselves. You are preventing the new leader of Earth from carrying out his responsibilities.”

“Last chance Morvalt.”

Hoskins received confirmation that the extended docking platform was engaged. One hundred troopers stood at the exit door, waiting to board the Kryl vessel.

“Back off or you will be killed trying...” Morvalt’s sentence trailed off as it became clear that the situation had changed.

The marine troopers has just blown the access panel and boarded the Kryl vessel.

“It is too late. Release Carter and we will be on our way. There does not need to be any bloodshed.”

The comm. link went dead.

* * * *

Jake Carter was in a holding cell in the bow of the ship. He heard the fracas above him but had no comprehension of what was going on. He was beginning to feel himself again now that Morvalt had released him. His head hurt again and he was exhausted but he was still alive.
What is going on up there?

Thirty seconds later he had his answer as the cell door opened and a heavily armored Alpha Marine stepped inside.

“Lieutenant Carter, Sir. We are here to recover you, Sir.”

“Christ! How? Have you boarded?”

“Yes. Best if you don’t ask too many questions and just follow me, Sir. Keep close. Do not turn around or deviate.”

Jake was not about to argue and quickly followed the marine out of the cell, where two more marines joined them. They ran up the corridor toward the front of the ship. They stopped as they reached a gantry. There was fire everywhere and Jake saw Kryl lying dead where they fell. Major Richard De Vere stood at the gantry with a serious look on his face.

“Nice to see you again Mister Carter. Please follow the marines up the corridor and out through the docking platform.”

Jake followed and in less than a minute, he was in the portal chamber between the two ships. He felt safe again but for how long he did not know. As he reached the comfort of the Halo 7 access doors, he turned back to look at Morvalt’s ship. It was ablaze and immediately surrounded by the remaining marines. Major De Vere pushed Jake and his men through before picking up his mobile comms. device.

“De Vere, code three. Recovery complete, close access doors, and get us out of here.”

* * * *

Aboard the Kryl ship, his crew were scattered everywhere. The Alpha marines devastating attack had destroyed his ship and she was going down. Far from being the savior of his people, he was now a failed cruiser commander, beaten because of his obsession to avenge Navalion’s death. Now Jake Carter was responsible for his death too. Why had he not seen this coming? He was a Kronan. He should surely have been able to foresee his own death and he hadn’t. He felt weak.
Is this what death is like
?

Then he realized. The destruction of his ship and his untimely death was actually a blessing. His body was subject to the final stages of the disease which had infected so many of his people.
No matter, I am going to die whatever happens but I do so in the knowledge that my people have been saved. They will soon feed.
Seconds later, the Kryl Cruiser broke up and Morvalt was no more.

* * * *

Jonathan Hoskins smiled. He had the bastard and Jake Carter had been recovered.

“Get us underway, Number One. I assume we now have full Stellar capability. Resume previous course heading.”

He did not know it yet but their problems were far from over.