Wandering Engineer 6: Pirates Bane (24 page)

“Aye sir,” the bridge officer stuttered in surprise.

In a moment there was a response. “Last report is that he is under
chain and heavy guard on his way to your quarters sir.”

“No sign of trouble?”

“No sir. Given his behavior in the brig they doubled up on his
escort just in case. And one of the men with him is Riltch sir. He's good.”

“I know,” the Captain said as he felt almost orgasmic relief at
that news. Riltch was a bastard, a smart one though. “Very well. As you were,”
he said, cutting the connection.

Nodding, he turned to continue his journey to confront the mystery
man. He may be someone who liked to pretend to be an Admiral. He'd soon find
out.

<----*----*----*---->

“Admiral, you've been made. I've just monitors a radio
transmission, Phoenix didn't interrupt it because he didn't want to give the
game away. Unfortunately we didn't put a filter or a lag on the transmission so
it went through.”

“Bad?” the Admiral asked, waving to Miller, the point man to hold
up. Miller got the signal and passed it on to Enric before the smaller man
could bump into him. Irons didn't like that he hadn't had time to get to know
his team, but things were moving too fast for that. He had to trust in luck and
in surprise.

“Bad enough. The Captain suspects who you are.”

“Shit. Tell Phoenix to stop pussy footing around. Go to stage
four,” he said. “Just Phoenix. Then warn the others,” he said. “They could have
trouble.”

“More than they bargained for. Got it. I'm uncertain how well
Phoenix will be able to...”

Phoenix had contemplated its role in the plan when Sprite had
uploaded the plan. For all of a microsecond the AI cursed his current
disability. Still, the AI complied the best it could. First it cut off the
radio signal from the three Horathians on board and then flushed the ship,
venting its atmosphere. In seconds all three were terminated.

“Okay, never mind, I stand corrected. Problem children solved.
Permanently. They are sucking vacuum,” Sprite said dryly.

“Good,” Irons replied. “I've got a moment, replay the
conversation. Is it brief? It is isn't it?” he asked.

“It is, playing now.”

A few moments later Admiral Irons shut off the recording and
frowned. The Captain had obviously managed to get some of his identity, and his
leap to the implants may cause a complication.

They had segmented the mainframe into separate systems, so the
AI's hacking was severely downgraded; at least until he reached engineering or
the bridge where all access to each of the computer network was available. The
AIs were slowly pulling the wool over the bridge watch's eyes, carefully substituting
the AI's crafted sensor readings for the real thing.

“Admiral, two more crew members have been caught, but two others
are now awake and trying to escape,” Sprite informed him.

“Shit.”

“They lack hand held communicators, I've disabled the communication
panels in their quarters. Franx is near his objective, as is Gustov. They will
be in position about the same time you will be. Gustov had to take a roundabout
route. I had to direct him around some trouble spots.”

“Oh?” Irons asked. “Anything I need to be aware of?” He wasn't
sure about Gustov. He was one he hadn't gotten to know well.

“Work parties mostly. And one jogger.”

“Very well, continue.”

“McGuyver’s life support module is the one that feeds the bridge.”

“Understood. Sindri?”

“He's out of contact. Proteus couldn't give him or Captain
McGuyver an implant package.”

“I know,” Irons replied. Ten of the prisoners had been out when he
had given the others implants. That sucked, but he had to work with what he
had.

“Engineering is lightly manned, just a power watch since it is
grave yard.”

“Good.”

Centrally located at the very core of the ship, the bridge was the
other key to their taking the ship successfully the Bridge and main
engineering. Signaling to his team with his hands, Admiral Irons stepped up into
a trot to get to the bridge. Once they had that he would feel better about the
situation, and then they could do something about Ian, Sindri, and the others.

<----*----*----*---->

Franx was excited. So far they hadn’t tipped anyone off, he had
split his team to secure the life support module, each taking different paths.
The implants in his body spooked him, but the quick explanation by what was
apparently was an AI awed him even more.

He was still fumbling with the implants, but at least he had them.
He treasured them, and he treasured the information they had even more. The
plan was going well, the AI briefed him from time to time. A map and a bullet
point spread sheet were in his vision. If he looked at either it would zoom in
so he could see everything. He loved it.

The mystery Captain’s AI was helping them, directing them around
Horathian crew members and warning them to duck and cover when necessary.

Gustov would have the tricky objective. The armory was near the
bow, under the forward magazines so they could get interference from any
missile techs on duty, allowing the armory to gain manpower. The powered marine
armor was troubling; the escapees lacked any heavy weapons.

Along the way to their objectives they had gathered up additional
re-breathers, each person taking two just in case. Twice they had had to stop
and wait around a corner for a person to pass, always anxious that the man
would come their way. They were determined to win, so killing the bastard was
always there on their minds, but so was the possibility of someone raising an
alarm. So far so good though.

He glanced at the clock counting down as they entered the
electrical room. “Kick off time in five,” he murmured to the others. Grimly
they all nodded.

Turning the tables

At the final bend to the armory, Gustov stopped his team and took
a deep breath. His team was ready, as were most of the others. According to the
tablet and his implants, Kinja was still out of position, as was the mysterious
Captain. Raoul had already taken his objective, and they now had control of
that module.

Sisko was in place, but the computer password was slowing them
down. Tapping the tablet, Gustov had the AI bring up a map of the corridor
beyond and the probable location of the guard.

The guard shack was inside the armories main hatch, and would be
difficult. Hearing a commotion, Gustov took a quick peek around the corner and
felt some relief. Franx had split his team to secure the bow life support
module but had found it unmanned. He had reported it to the AI who had informed
him to leave Wella and George to take control of the module and hold it. Franx
had redirected himself and his two people here as back up.

Gustov nodded to the captain as he silently watched the counter
cascade down and took a deep breath. Straightening his collar, he nodded to the
team and moved around the corner and into the corridor. Franx joined him at the
hatch as he pushed the open button.  Entering the room they turned to see the
guard with his feet up, cleaning his gun out of position.

However it was a small ship, and all the guards knew the prisoners
faces. A single look was all it took to give Gustov away.

The guard reacted with lethal speed, rolling to the floor and
shooting Franx and winging Gustov. Two more escaped prisoners’ charged the
hatch, rolling into the room and firing blind. The guard desperately tried to
reach the communicator, but a dying Franx shot it to pieces in his hand before
collapsing in death with a small smile.

Gustov grimaced at the death of his friend and fired, trying to
ricochet a round down at the hidden guard. They only had moments before someone
heard the shots, or the computer detected them and reacted. His tablet went off
and he grabbed his mask and hastily put it on as rounds hit the desk he was
behind. One of his back up was still in the corridor, trying to fire around the
gap.

One of Franx's team was hit, his left leg was shredded and he was
grimly trying to control the bleeding. Gustov signaled to him with hand signs
and then to the others to put their masks on as he grabbed the tourniquet and
twisted it. A hissing sound from the above vent made him smile. Right on time.

The guard was frantic now, but almost out of rounds. Within ten
seconds he was out, and Gustov stood warily. One of the team grabbed his arm to
stop the bleeding and he looked to him then shrugged it off. It was only a
scratch. He turned to the sleeping guard and grimly put a round through his
forehead, then used the tablet to report success.

<----*----*----*---->

Admiral Irons received the report and nodded. He didn't like
losing Franx, but at least the man had died doing what he had wanted to do,
fight. Only the bridge, engineering, and the starboard midships compartments
remained. All crew in the sickbay, port midships and aft were down, slumped or
fallen to the deck wherever they had been at the time the life support plant
had flooded their compartments with carbon monoxide and ether.

“Kinja here. We are on station,” Kinja reported, cutting into his
reverie. He nodded, checking the map. She and her team were indeed on station,
the engineering compartment had been flooded by gas and the Horathians were
down. He had her take two to secure the room, then send a team to the doors to
secure the Captain’s quarters.

Irons tapped his HUD and checked on McGuyver and Sindri. Most of
the shackled prisoners of his work party were still at work. The guard was
wary, but it looked like he hadn’t received warning yet. McGuyver silently
acknowledged the signal when Irons flashed him on a monitor. Ian used his body
to block the view of the screen briefly. He smiled darkly and nodded slowly. He
knew what was going on. Good.

Turning to the last bend before the bridge access, Admiral Irons
paused and held up a fist to stop. Impatiently his people paused behind him.
The Admiral turned and jacked into the available communication panel. He heard
a slight hiss and turned to his crew. It was a hiss of disbelief though, not of
warning so he ignored it.

He checked around the corner, using the camera mounted on the
ceiling in the mirrored bubble. The Horathian Captain was outside his quarters,
and dressing down the guard there for sleeping on the job.

Grimacing, Admiral Irons turned to the bridge readouts. Sprite's
prior sabotage had taken out the bridge recorder, so he couldn’t get a view of
the bridge. When he had been taken there the guard had been stationed at the
door, there had been a bot in an alcove as well, so if they moved fast they
might be able to take him out before the bot was activated. Only the watch
officer was also armed, causing another problem.

“Follow me,” he said quietly.

Rushing the door, Admiral Irons stunned the guard, dropping him,
but the watch officer reacted cat like and shot a disruptor. The Admiral’s
shields took the brunt of the damage, dropping his power below forty percent.

The corona of the blast ripped into the unprotected team behind
him, and two went down flopping to the deck with massive seizures. The third
used the doorway as cover. In the room ratings manning their posts dropped
behind any object or couch they could find for cover.

Admiral Irons grimaced as he got to cover and heard the watch
officer calling an alert. “Mutiny! Set condition one!” The Captain responded as
did the guard watching McGuyver’s team.

Irons saw, and was helpless to intervene as the guard turned
warily to the prisoners.

<----*----*----*---->

Ian received the signal for the uprising and scowled. He was
screwed; he had little chance to jump Clancy. The guy was no fool and he took
his job seriously. He wasn't a bastard like the others; he was another apparent
newcomer they hadn't corrupted yet.

When the radio squawked he was already moving. However Mary and
Rob were between him and the guard. “Now stay back now,” the guard warned,
pulling his baton with his left hand. When Mary grimly nodded to Rob to spread
out Clancy tucked the weapon under his arm and pulled his pistol.

There was a struggle as Mary and Rob rushed the guard, followed by
a frantic series of shots. The first two of the prisoners to rush the guard
crumpled, shot in the struggle. Their deaths however were not in vane, their
distraction allowed Ian to get in close enough to make a grab for the weapon. A
second struggle ensued and a fourth, then fifth and sixth, shot rang out.

<----*----*----*---->

“Report!” The Captain demanded. “Damn you! Say something! Report!”

The guard panted. “This is Corporal Clancy Serj sir, I'm still
here sir. Not for a want of these assholes,” he growled.

“And? The prisoners? Did they get away?”

“No sir. Two of the prisoners are critically injured, one is dead,
and the remaining three were lying on the floor either injured or cowed.” He
kicked one.

“Good. Lock them up or kill them, I don't care which,” the Captain
said. “No wait, keep them alive, we may need them,” the Captain said.

“Aye aye sir,” the guard replied, sounding disappointed. He wiped
at his bleeding mouth and then spat on Mary. “You got lucky bitch,” he said as
she groaned.

<----*----*----*---->

“Lieutenant Blye, Lieutenant Serall, report! Bridge! Someone
answer me or heads will roll damn it! Anyone on this channel!” the Captain
said, sounding desperate.

“Should we jam his signal sir?” Sprite asked.

“Not just yet, I want to know who he gets,” the Admiral replied.

The Captain tried to raise the other compartments, and cursed when
he couldn't get anyone.

<----*----*----*---->

Sindri heard the fight over the radio. Fortunately the guard had
plugged it into a port on the wall to charge it and had left it there to escort
Diego to the head. The dwarf realized the battle was on. He turned, and when
they came out of the compartment he acted. He used his cuffed hands to first
trip the guard, then step on his back and put his massive arms around his head.
He lifted up, snapping the bastard's back before he knew what was happening.

A quick savage twist snapped his neck for good measure.

“Find the keys. We've got work to do,” Sindri growled.

<----*----*----*---->

Karen Hoshi didn't know how much she could trust this new guy,
but he was obviously all right in her book. Anyone who got them this far was
worth backing. She scowled as a firefight erupted behind her. Errant
distracting thoughts of the newcomer were forgotten.

<----*----*----*---->

“The Captain is on the move. He's got one guard with him and a
bot Admiral,” Sprite informed him a moment later. Irons looked up as the AI
changed the feed from Hoshi's battle to the Captain.

“He's headed to the bridge,” the Admiral murmured.

“Most likely yes,” Sprite replied.

Irons thought hard. The Captain was trying to pincer them, to hit
them from two axis at the same time. He didn't stand a chance in hell of
succeeding, but he didn't know that. And, the Admiral turned to his people, his
people lacked many weapons. Most only had batons.

Irons pointed to the last two people. “You two, the Captain is
coming. You two are on rear guard. Secure the hatch,” he said, pointing to the
hatch behind them.

Grimly they nodded. One male grabbed the hatch and pulled it
shut. A cable was in the way, blocking it from fully closing. Hastily the girl
yanked it out of the wall and then stuffed it through the gap. When the hatch
opening was cleared the hatch was shut. The girl looked at her baton and then
wedged it into the locking mechanism, keeping it from spinning. “There,” she
said with a grim smile. “It won't hold them long,” she warned.

“Long enough,” the Admiral replied. “Lock down the lift,” Irons
said, pointing to the lift doors.

“Shit!” the girl said, staring at them. “What the hell do we...”
she shook her head as she and her partner went over to the lift. “Find
something to, I dunno, wedge in the doors or something. Pull the acce
ss panels; see if we can bind the gears
up. Keep them bottled up inside,” she said.

The Admiral made a mental note in appreciation of the woman's fast
thinking and then turned. He had his own problem to deal with.

Checking his implants, Admiral Irons sighed mentally. He was down
on power. He turned to his people. Their impromptu medic shook his head,
closing the eyes of the kid who had been hit with the disruptor. Irons set his
jaw grimly. One of his people was brain dead and the other was unconscious.

He returned his attention to the bridge. The five unarmed tech
ratings were cowering behind their consoles and chairs. The watch officer was
still behind the command chair, and had dragged a piece of equipment near to
cover the bottom. Not that it would do him any good, with Admiral Irons'
implants he could see right through it.

“We can't!"

"They are dead! Besides, the Captain ordered us to pull the
power cables remember?” The watch officer whispered fiercely.

John overheard the whispered conversation between the security
tech and the watch officer grimly smiled. It was good to know that the guns on
the bridge were dead. He wasn't sure about the bot though. Hopefully it was
still down and that most of the ship was unresponsive.

Getting an idea, Admiral Irons tapped his tablet and relayed a
signal to Kinja. She acknowledged, and told him it will take at least five
minutes to trace the control runs and complete the task he had given her.

Smiling, Admiral Irons set his gun down and punched the console he
was behind, tearing the panel off. Reaching in, he used the tools in his right
arm to tap the control runs and jack in. He began shutting compartments in the
path of the Captain and his guard, further delaying them.

“John, we've got the armory. I've loaded my people up; we're on
our way. ETA five, no make that six minutes,” Gustov reported over the
implants.

“Roger that,” the Admiral replied. He glanced at the map on his
HUD and then the thumbnail view Sprite briefly put up. Gustov's team was in the
pirate armor, armed with heavy weapons. “Sprite let the others know they are
friendly.”

“Tagging them with IFF and briefing the other teams aye aye sir,”
Sprite said.

Satisfied, Admiral Irons turned his attention to the watch
officer. He noted that the officer was crouched near a processor node, and
decided to spike it. “Proteus, this yahoo is by a node. Let's give him a hot
foot,” the Admiral said.

“With pleasure,” Sprite responded, briefly surprising him. He had
expected Proteus to respond but apparently the engineering AI was busy. Sprite
would do just fine; she was a practical joker after all. The AI tampered with
the feed to the panel, ramping up the power to overload the electronics. Irons
had just enough time to pick up his weapon before all hell broke loose.