Alpha One: The Kronan (31 page)

So far, it was a good day for Kravos. An agreement had been reached and he was just about to personally witness the transfer of the sovereign power of Earth from Humans to Kryl. That was before he realized his Kronan was in trouble.

He was on his command deck, having just informed the legislative that agreement had been ratified, when he witnessed Morvalt’s ship set off in pursuit of a small Alpha shuttle. He kept a close eye on proceedings—protective as he always was of his Kronan. Then it became clear that his Kronan was in trouble and he gave the command to follow. Two other Kryl Cruisers were summoned to join him. They now sat back two thousand kilometers adrift of the Kronan’s vessel to witness proceedings.

Kravos watched in disbelief as first the Kronan’s ship was peppered by Alpha Jump Ships. Then she was brought to a virtual standstill and the Alpha ship personnel boarded. He thought about moving forward but he did not want to offend his Kronan. He would surely regain control quickly.

He had just seen his Kronan’s ship destroyed. He could not believe Morvalt was gone. His disbelief quickly turned to anger and he forgot about the momentous events from earlier in the day. He would turn the Alpha ship into dust particles. Kravos though, was a thinker and he needed time to plan. He knew with the two other cruisers, he had the advantage and his ship was fully armed and operational. It took him a few moments longer before he recognized his most valuable asset.

Kravos gave the command to pursue the Halo 7 and the three cruisers set out just as the Earth ship changed course and headed out under sub-light power. As he drew closer, all three ships disabled their cloaking devices and Kravos opened a communication channel.

“Commander Hoskins. My name is Kravos. You will have heard of me.”

* * * *

Hoskins sighed and switched the channel to video interface so he could see who he was talking to.

“Kravos...no, I don’t believe I do. What can we do for you?”

“I am the Chief Negotiator for the Kryl Fleet. Do you know who I have aboard my ship, Commander?”

“No. I guess you are going to tell me.”

Hoskins was growing tired of the Kryl’s games.
If they were going to fight, could they just get on with it?

“Is Jake Carter aboard your ship now?”

“Who is Jake Carter?”

“Don’t play games with me. I know he is on board and that you just destroyed my Kronan’s ship. You will surrender Carter to me or your ship will be destroyed. You are outnumbered.”

Hoskins laughed. “Do you seriously believe I am going to hand Carter over to you, just ten minutes after we mounted a successful mission to rescue him? I don’t respond to threats and I am not concerned about your theoretical advantage. Back off or we will deploy our Jump Ships.”

“I have Alpha’s two chief negotiators on board Lieutenant Colonel Harrington and Major Carla Stevenson. I believe you are familiar with the woman?”

Hoskins briefly put his head to his hands before replying. Why did this always happen to him?

“Are you offering some kind of trade-off?”

“Give me Carter and you can have the two negotiators in exchange.”

“Carter is a valuable member of my crew. I have no place for negotiators.”

“Then you would rather see them die?”

“No, of course not.”

“Did you know Jake Carter is already trying to take a shuttle off your ship again?”

“XO Verify.”

“You cannot have Jake Carter...”

Hoskins wanted to antagonize Kravos to keep the conversation going, while his XO checked Jake’s status.

“You have five Earth minutes to surrender him. If you fail, we will attack and destroy you.”

The XO whispered in Hoskins’s ear. “Carter just tried to access the hanger bay. I have put him in a containment cell.”

“I need a gesture of faith to give credibility to your exchange offer. Since Carla Stevenson is so clearly linked to Jake Carter, I would suggest you offer us Lieutenant Colonel Harrington now and get your other two ships to back off. As we are negotiating between us, we do not need them.”

“How do I benefit from that?”

“You are a negotiator, you know how these things work.”

Hoskins nodded to his XO, trusting that he would understand the meaning of this simple communication. The XO left his station and headed to where Major De Vere currently stood.

“Major,” he whispered, “I need you to get ready to recover someone again.”

The Marine Commander nodded and set off to brief his men.

* * * *

Kravos had now contemplated Hoskins’s offer.

“Very well, I will release Harrington but the two ships stay.

* * * *

Two minutes later, Hoskins and Jacques were in the marine briefing room with De Vere.

“We need a discrete covert operation with maybe five operatives at the most. When Harrington comes across, you find your way in and release Lieutenant Stevenson. She has a security tag so you should be able to lock onto her.”

“We will need boosters to enhance the tag’s harmonics. I am pretty sure we know where to find her anyway. I’ll take seven men—three to recover Stevenson and four to provide cover. It is not going to be easy to find a way aboard in the first place.”

“I have every faith in you.”

Hoskins turned to his XO.

“Jake Carter will need to stay in his cell with a full complement of guards. It is possible the Kryl will try to recover him themselves by trying to board our ship. We need guards stationed at key points throughout the ship, as well as at the cell. Are we clear?”

Both Jacques and De Vere agreed. Hoskins returned to the bridge where a comm. link had just opened. It was Kravos.

“Commander, we are ready to deliver Harrington to you. I presume you will try something to prevent me from taking Carter. I would not recommend it and please, time is of the essence.”

“We are receiving your umbilical cord now. We will receive Harrington, check he is okay,and then move to the exchange.”

“No! You will have Carter ready for an immediate exchange. Don’t play games with me. You have one minute to complete the exchange once Harrington has arrived on your ship.”

The comm. link died. Hoskins handed his XO the con and left the bridge immediately, using the elevator to take him three decks down where the access portal connected.

* * * *

Harrington just arrived when Hoskins entered the reception room which linked to the access portal. De Vere was in position with his six marines. An eighth man dressed in Alpha fatigues and with Jake Carter’s security ID stood in front of the portal. His real name was Trooper Paris and he was the decoy. He would only be used if absolutely necessary.

Hoskins waited thirty seconds longer before opening the comm. link.

“Kravos. We are ready. Open the portal.”

The access portal opened immediately and the decoy stepped inside the umbilical cord. He walked towards the Kryl vessels airlock and waited. The door opened and three Kryl guards walked through.

Major De Vere responded by stepping forward as if to welcome them and then slit the first Kryl’s throat from ear to ear. The second and third stood little chance as they were quickly ambushed by three other troopers. Trooper Paris returned to the Halo 7 and moved to a secure location. De Vere and his men advanced into the Kryl Cruiser.

The comm. link opened again.

“Why is Carter not yet aboard my ship?”

“He is on his way,,” Hoskins lied.

* * * *

Timing was critical. De Vere needed to ensure Carla Stevenson was secured quickly and then off the ship fast. He left the troopers’ trademark parting gift: a tiny high-yield explosive device which he would attach to the inside of the umbilical chamber.

De Vere and has team quickly moved down to Carla’s location on the bottom deck of the ship. The tracer only partially worked but they had a rough location which was good enough. As anticipated, Kravos made no effort to release Carla. She was in a holding cell, secured by a force field. There were no guards and De Vere’s men quickly set about the task of deactivating the field.

* * * *

Hoskins stood in the shadows, hoping De Vere’s men would reappear soon. He knew whatever happened, he would be needed on the bridge imminently. Kravos’ ship and the two other cruisers would surely fire on them. He heard a crash and three of his security crew standing in front of the access portal suddenly fell to the ground. He had not heard any firing but realized something bad was just about to happen.

Kravos appeared at the Halo 7’s access portal followed by twenty of his men. Three other security guards moved forward to confront him but quickly fell to the ground.

Hoskins was powerless to do anything but stayed out of sight.
He was killing their minds! The deceiving bastard never had any intention to swap. He had come for Carter directly!
He watched
helplessly as the Kryl contingent marched through the access portal room and in to the main corridor. As soon as the room was clear, Hoskins nudged his lapel comm. device.

“Bridge. Kravos has boarded with approximately twenty other Kryl. He will be heading for Carter. Head him off and do not get too close, Kravos has the power to kill with his mind. Get me a further security detail down here to cover the access portal and tell them to keep their distance. I am following Kravos.”

Hoskins charged out of the access portal room and down the main corridor. He heard the sound of Alpha weaponry exchanging with Kryl up ahead. Behind him a further security contingent caught up with him. He let them pass and headed off to the deck’s small arms room located just round the corner. The door opened as he approached; his security tag and genetic scan granted him access. He grabbed two laser rifles, a grenade belt, and donned and activated a body shield to afford him some protection.

* * * *

The fighting was on the same deck as the detention cells now. Hoskins had caught up and crouched behind seven marines. He counted sixteen bodies on the route down and everyone was human. Hoskins pulled himself forward to the senior NCO leading this particular group.

“What’s the status?”

“Our weapons are making no impact, Sir. I think we may have to consider using some localized artillery grenades and smart bombs. Problem is, we don’t know what damage they will do to the bulkheads.”

“The priority is to destroy the enemy. Who is in charge down here?”

“I am, Sir. Are you giving me the authority to use the artillery?”

“Yes...and I am right behind you.”

* * * *

De Vere’s team deactivated the force field.

“Major Stevenson, good to meet you again. We met last time you had an encounter with the Halo 7.”

“Yes, I remember. I apologize for putting you through the same thing again. I seem to make a habit of being kidnapped by the Kryl. How do we get off this ship?”

“The same way we came in...the hard way. Stick close and fire at anything which moves.” De Vere handed Carla a handheld laser.

She allowed the three troopers to move her away from the detention cell and up through the elevated corridors before the next obstacle arrived. The Kryl bedded in and fired indiscriminately.

“How are we going to get past them—there are only four of us?”

“Watch and learn, Major.”

De Vere moved to the front and fired three warning rounds from his laser cannon before pulling back into cover. The lead Kryl guards moved forward, believing they had honed in on the threat. This was a mistake. The troopers positioned two smart bombs in hidden locations on their way down to the cells. De Vere activated both. A fraction of a second later the Kryl guards, together with half the bulkhead, were obliterated. The troopers moved forward quickly through the debris to within sprinting distance of the umbilical cord escape route. De Vere sent one of his marines forward to check that the long corridor was free from Kryl.

“Major, we need to make our way quickly to the exit tube ahead. Sergeant Sahib will provide cover at this end.”

De Vere crept forward on his hands and knees until he received the sign that the passageway was clear. He yelled, “Come on,” before sprinting to the umbilical cord. Carla was just behind him, with Sergeant Sahib a few paces back. Thirty seconds later, they were back on board the Halo 7 with the access portal secured. Carla was free.

* * * *

The explosive force of the high-tech smart bombs and the more localized bludgeon of the hand grenades took out all the Kryl drones. Five more Kryl, led by Kravos, moved forward to the corridor adjacent to the detention facility. Sergeant Mather and his team positioned themselves to take them out. Hoskins followed behind. His XO advised him via comm. link that Major Stevenson was safe and De Vere had planted his explosives.

He knew Commander Jacques would secretly be seething: ‘W
hy is the CO being so reckless?’
The answer was clear, Hoskins had taken an instant dislike to Kravos and his patience with the Kryl ran out. He wanted Kravos for himself.