Authors: Rick Bentsen
2.7.2136
2349
Brentax III
Brentacchia Prison
K
’ALAN moaned in quiet pain. His wrists and ankles felt like they were bound with iron manacles, although he could not tell for sure. His head hurt too much for him to open his eyes. He felt a hard substance against his back, although he couldn’t tell if it was wood or metal.
This must be the torture room,
he thought to himself.
Well, I suppose torture it is.
“Are you comfortable?” a voice next to his head asked. The voice was raspy and gravelly but quiet at the same time.
“Hardly. You know, I cold use a couple pillows to fall asleep properly,” K’Alan quipped. “If I don’t have a couple pillows under my head, I wake up all cranky with a massive headache.”
“Ah, a lively victim,” the voice laughed a raspy, hissing laugh. “Good. This will be so much more fun for me then.”
K’Alan turned his head towards the voice and slowly, cautiously, opened his eyes. The face that greeted his gaze was not what he expected. Where he’d been expecting the green scaly visage of a Brentax officer, the face that greeted him was perhaps more menacing. The creature was an insectoid whose black carapace was tinted almost a dark bluish color. The face and hands were almost humanoid in appearance. Pale skin grew out of the carapace. The creature had no discernable nose, and his teeth were large and sharp. Large multi-faceted eyes dominated the creature’s facial features. K’Alan could barely suppress a shudder at the creature’s appearance.
“Ah, good,” the creature’s sibilant voice hissed. “I see my appearance startles you.”
“Who and what are you?” K’Alan asked.
“I am Crovax. I am of the Cor’vat race.”
“I’m not familiar with that race,” K’Alan admitted, furrowing his eyebrows.
“It is not surprising, Duterian. The Brentax keep the Cor’vat as slaves,” the Cor’vat spat in distaste. “The Brentax reveal little about their slaves.”
“Slaves?” K’Alan spat. “Slavery is just one more atrocity the Brentax have committed. Why don’t your people rebel.”
“We would have by now, Duterian. But the Brentax are smart and keep us separated. There are very few of us in any one given place. For example, I am the only Cor’vat currently in Brentacchia.”
“We were right then,” K’Alan said, closing his eyes.
“What do you mean, Duterian? You were right about what?”
“We were right about the correct way to handle the Brentax situation.”
“You speak in twisted words, Duterian. Speak plainly,” Crovax snarled.
“Very simply, there have been different factions with different ideas about how to deal with the Brentax situation. One side wanted to extract M’Bek Tarmos and force him to sign a treaty to end the war. The other side wanted to send a killer force and wipe the Brentax out once and for all,” K’Alan opened his eyes and looked at Crovax. The Duterian’s eyes were brimming with tears at the memories of his home world’s destruction. “After the destruction of my home world, I was leaning towards retaliation and destruction of Brentax III. But I follow orders like a good soldier.”
“They destroyed your home world?” Crovax hissed.
“Yes. Millions of my people were killed. They used heavy bombardments from orbit,” K’Alan said bitterly. “There are just over fifteen thousand of my people left.”
“That is intolerable!” Crovax roared. “War produces death, yes, but genocide is unnecessary. And your Star League did not react in kind.” Crovax blinked several times, rubbing his chin in an almost human-like manner. “I must think on this in private. You have given me a great deal to thing about, Duterian.”
Crovax slinked off, leaving K’Alan alone in the darkness wondering what had just happened.
2.8.2136
00220
Earth
Chicago Transport Station
S
TAR League President Kerrin Jameson sighed as she waited for her transport. It had been a long day, and there was every indication that the next few days were going to be equally as long. Even if Gamma Strike had been successful in extracting M’Bek Tarmos, there would still be a great deal of negotiations in order for the peace treaty to be finalized. There was a great deal of work ahead of her and she did not relish it.
Shaking her head, she pulled out the treaty to look at one more time while she waited.
It had been written up two months ago. There had been some minor negotiations with a lesser Brentax dignitary, but the talks had fallen through. There were changes that would need to be made of course. She would seek compensation for the survivors of the Duterius Prime massacre. And the Star League would likely end up ceding the Khrinnus system to the Brentax. She didn’t see how that could be avoided now.
She read the treaty over thoroughly. Admiral Bonetti had written the treaty up. It was very well written, although the president wondered if the Brentax could live up to their end of the agreement.
“Now boarding at Gate 13. Local transport to Virginia. With stops in Richmond, Falls Church, and Norfolk,” a male voice called over the station intercom.
Kerrin put the treaty back in her briefcase and headed towards Gate 13.
It would be good to get back to the office briefly before going home. She knew she’d made some of her people angry by going to Chicago for the day, but it had been necessary. The Hawks family needed her now more than ever, and, if she were going to be honest about things, she needed them just as much.
The transport from Chicago to Falls Church was a quick and uneventful one. Kerrin was left alone with her thoughts for just under an hour before the transport touched down.
The president stepped off the transport and headed out into the early morning air. Jane Swiftwind was there by a small hovercar.
“Hi, Jane,” Kerrin said.
“How’d it go?” the president’s aide asked as she opened the door to the hovercar for the president.
“It went as well as could be expected,” Kerrin said, her voice strained.
The president of the Star League climbed into the hovercar and leaned her head against the headrest. She closed her eyes and moaned.
“Long day, Kerrin?” Jane asked, although it was a silly question.
Kerrin just nodded, her eyes staying closed. She slumped down in her seat and sighed before adding. “I don’t suppose you have some good news for me.”
“I do have good news, but there is some bad news attached to it,” Jane reported. “The good news is that Gamma Strike has successfully extracted M’Bek Tarmos.”
Kerrin allowed herself a moment’s elation before opening one eye and looking at Jane. “And the bad news?”
“Captain K’Alan Bryce was captured during the mission, and is being held prisoner on Brentax III.”
“Dammit!” Kerrin swore as she banged her fist on the side of the hovercar. “I won’t accept that. As soon as you can, get me a tight beam communication to the White Knight. I want to speak with Colonel Bonetti. And get me the Creighton too.”
“Understood, Kerrin. But the White Knight won’t be in range until they get back to the Gamma Epsilon station in two days.”
“I know. I just hope Captain Bryce can last that long.”
2.8.2136
0133
SLS Creighton
Captain Tom Keevan’s quarters
C
APTAIN Tom Keevan had just settled down in his bunk and was staring at the ceiling. It had been a long day with the various Brentax ships challenging the Creighton in the Khrinnus system. All he wanted now was a good night’s sleep. And yet, as he lay in his bunk, he found he couldn’t sleep. His mind kept running through the day’s events over and over again.
He sighed deeply. When he’d called in to talk to Admiral Bonetti, he’d heard that there was no news yet about the Gamma Strike mission. He hoped that they had succeeded by now.
His thoughts drifted to the executive officer of Gamma Strike. He wondered what Erin was doing. Thinking about Erin centered him as it always did. He loved her. He knew she loved him in return. Not for the first time, he considered proposing marriage to her. He was pretty sure she’d say yes, he just didn’t have the nerve.
“Unreal,” he chuckled to himself aloud. “I can face off against a Duhari class heavy cruiser without flinching, but put me up against my feelings for Erin and I wither like a flower that hasn’t been watered in months.”
He shook his head sadly and went back to staring at the ceiling. Sooner or later he’d have to come to grips with his feelings. He just hoped Erin was still there when he did.
He reached over to the table next to his bed and picked up the book he was reading. It was an old fantasy novel that Erin had suggested he read once upon a time. The book was over a hundred years old, having come out in the early 2010s.
He had just opened the book to start reading when the intercom sounded suddenly, startling him. He tapped his wristlink and sighed.
“Captain Keevan here,” he said. “What is it?”
“Captain Keevan,” the female voice on the other end said. “There’s a priority one ultraviolet tight beam communication for you. It’s from Earth.”
“All right, Kim. Patch it through to my vid terminal. I’ll take it here,” he said.
Tom Keevan stood up, tossed the book back on the side table and threw a robe on before heading to his desk. He switched on his vid terminal.
“Accept incoming priority one ultraviolet transmission,” he said to the computer. “Authorization Keevan delta gamma nine.”
“Authorization accepted. Decoding message now,” the computer’s unemotional voice said.
The Star League Defense Force logo blinked off, to be replaced by the face of Star League President Kerrin Jameson.
“Madame President,” Captain Keevan acknowledged. “To what do I owe the honor?”
“We have a problem, Tom.”
“What’s up, Kerrin?” There was concern in his voice. The president looked like she hadn’t slept in days.
Come to think of it,
Tom thought to himself.
She probably hasn’t.
“Gamma Strike was successful in extracting M’Bek Tarmos,” Kerrin began.
“That’s good news,” Tom smiled.
“Yes, it is,” she sighed. “Unfortunately, Captain Bryce is presumed captured.”
“OK, that’s not good,” Tom grunted. “I assume Erin wants to go after him?”
“Commander Sykes is following orders and bringing M’Bek Tarmos back to the Gamma Epsilon station.”
“But what about Captain Bryce?” Tom demanded.
“There will be a rescue mission. I’m afraid it’s going to have to wait until Gamma Strike gets back to the Gamma Epsilon station in about two days.”
“He could be dead by then,” Tom closed his eyes.
“I know.” Kerrin turned away for a moment, her face pained. She turned back to the vid and sighed. “The mission has to come first, Tom. You know that.”
“What do you want from me, Kerrin?” The Creighton’s captain crossed his arms. “Whatever it is, you got it.”
“The Atlantia is on it’s way to the Khrinnus system. As soon as it gets there, you are ordered to get your tail to the Gamma Epsilon station. Gamma Strike is going to stand down from active duty to become the honor guard for the peace conference after they get back. Colonel Bonetti will be joining you for the duration of the mission. You are going to take the Creighton into Brentax space and retrieve Captain Bryce. And Tom? Try to bring him back alive.”
“I intend to, Madame President.”
“Good. The Atlantia should arrive in about twenty two hours. And thanks, Tom.”
“You can always count on me, Kerrin,” Tom forced a smile.
“I know. Good luck, Captain Keevan.” With that, the President of the Star League faded from Tom’s vid terminal.
Tom slapped the controls on his console.
“Captain Keevan to all hands. We are now on battle readiness standby. All hands are to report to battle stations at 0800 hours tomorrow morning. Senior staff briefing at 0900 hours.”
Tom sighed as he looked at his bed, shaking his head. He saw the book on the side table and shrugged. He wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.
2.8.2136
0339
Shuttle Kiarin
M
ARIO couldn’t sleep. He didn’t exactly trust M’Bek Tarmos not to try to escape. He wasn’t sure the bindings would hold if the Brentax commander decided he wanted to be free. He eyed the Brentax official warily while still keeping an eye on the scanners.
“You haven’t slept all night, Colonel. I give you my word that I won’t try to escape,” the Brentax said.
“Were K’Alan here, I might take a nap while he watched you, but I’d be remiss in my duties if I left you unattended.” Mario turned and looked at the scanners more closely. “Even if you did save my life.”
“I will not lie to you, Colonel,” M’Bek Tarmos smiled. “That was as much to save my life as it was to save yours. If there were any other way, I would never have given you any information on how to disable my ship.” The Brentax official’s smile grew broader as he saw the shock on the Colonel’s face at that revelation. “Yes, the Torellia Corvax is my personal flagship.”
Mario nodded, still staring at the scanners. The silhouette of the Torellia Corvax had dropped back, but it was still following them.
“She’s still behind us,” Mario noted.
“I’m not surprised. I figure it will still be another fifteen to twenty hours before they have weapons back,” M’Bek Tarmos said.
“Great,” Mario shook his head. “Let’s just hope it’s later instead of sooner. We can’t pull that trick off a second time.”
“Agreed.”
The two men sat in silence for a time. Mario kept checking the readings on the scanners. He was hoping that the Torellia Corvax would drop back more, but it remained at a constant distance from the shuttle.
“So, Colonel,” the Brentax Commander said after some time, breaking the monotonous silence. “What will you do when the war is over?”
“Dunno,” Mario shrugged. “Kinda hope we go back to exploration. That, I think, would be exciting.”
“I think I might retire as Supreme Commander. It is long past time I pick a mate. I have no pouchlings, and I think I might like to have some.”
“Yeah,” Mario sighed. “It’d be nice to find someone.”
I just hope I didn’t screw up everything with S’Era by losing her brother,
the colonel thought to himself.
That’s all I would need to make this week complete.
“You have no mate either?” M’Bek Tarmos said, his eyes opened wide.
“Never found the right one,” Mario shrugged.
Or have I?
he wondered to himself.
“It is a shame. Life is something that you should share with someone. You may not believe it, but even we Brentax believe in love.”
“Yes, Chancellor G’Kiron did mention that,” Mario frowned and looked at the Brentax commander. “What will happen to him?”
“I will issue him a pardon from Star League space. I will also issue a pardon for your partner.”
“Thank you,” Mario smiled.
“He is your friend, I take it?”
“Yes,” Mario nodded. “A very good friend. It irks me to be leaving him behind.”
M’Bek Tarmos nodded and stared out at the stars quietly.