BORN OF HEROES

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 48
 

Colonel Sander Brees looked at the wolverine technician with enough anger that Elias was surprised the tech’s fur didn’t burst into flame. He understood the lion’s ire, though. The fox sat in the middle of the assembled officers of the Captain’s Mast, Sandy on his right, Saul Reese on his left as Executive Officer. Cerise sat to the side of the group in the position of court recorder.

  “While it is quite evident the actions of Spatial Police Officer Edwin Terps contributed to the loss of Pilot Officer Shawna Vik, and the present situation being a combat mission, I would ask the court to suspend the sentence of execution for negligence and dereliction of duty causing the death of a fellow officer and endangering another, even though his crime is severe enough to warrant such a ruling,” Rovi said as the prosecuting officer. “I offer the following as more than adequate:

  “That SPO Edwin Terps be discharged from the Spatial Police Force under the heading of Dishonorable and with Extreme Prejudice. That he be sentenced to the maximum of five years on a penal facility of Spatial Police Force Command’s discretion. That he is to have his rating and licensing as a qualified repair technician permanently revoked. Reparations and damages to be paid to the family and survivors of the deceased of no less than twenty thousand credits, and not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand credits.”

  Rovi stepped back as the court considered the alternate punishment.

  The black furred fox was correct in that the present operation, the SPF charter could very easily support execution, but the officers that sat on the Mast felt that to be far too drastic a measure. It would only serve to demoralize the rest of the crew. Though many of the officer and enlisted ranks knew what had happened, and no few were crying for the wolverine to be jettisoned out of the nearest airlock, sentencing him in a way that would last the rest of his life struck quite a few as fitting.

  Elias looked and saw the officers on either side nod perceptibly. It looked as if Saul wanted to up the punishment, though he finally acquiesced. Elias whacked the small disk shaped wooden striker with the white baton that was used in all SPF court cases and trials by the head officer-judge.

  “This Mast agrees with the sentencing proposed by Colonel Rovi Agustus Tambor and sentences SPO Edwin Terps thusly.” He motioned to the two guards that Randy had provided for the proceedings. “Before he is taken from our midst, let all insignia and devices that he wears be stripped from him and his uniform rent. He is judged to no longer be worthy of standing as one of us.”

  As Elias spoke, the guards systematically removed his rank insignia, the small ribbons for past service, his unit patch on the left shoulder and the SPF Shield from his right. The only thing that was left was Terp’s name tag and the guard on the left pinched it and yanked it off while the second grabbed the back of the prisoner’s tunic and tore it open in the traditional manner. This symbolized the exposure of the stripe of cowardice and was one of the more shameful things that could be done when a Spatial Police Officer was discharged thusly.

  “Civilian Edwin Terps is to be held in the brig until such time as rendezvous with the prison ship SPF Rura Pente can be made for the off-loading of prisoners. He is to be given field rations three times a day, no access to any member of the crew, nor other prisoners. His cell is to remain at half light for the duration of ship’s cycles and one hour of supervised exercise every cycle.” Elias stood and made a downward cutting gesture with the baton. “Guards, remove the prisoner from this Mast.”

  The two armored SPO’s manacled the wolverine and marched him out of the chamber, tears wetting the fur under the prisoner’s eyes and his ears laid flat with his head bowed in shame.

  “I think we should have spaced him,” Saul grumbled as he folded his arms across his chest and looked at the door with a sour expression. “I mean, yeah, a fighter is a complex machine, and missing something is understandable with something that has what, over twenty thousand moving parts? But to forget to switch a D-pad to external instead of internal testing? We’d be doing his species’ gene pool a favor.”

  “I don’t like killing, Saul,” Elias told his First Officer. “Even when it’s the bad guys. I’ll do it because I know if I don’t it’s the end of me, but I don’t like it. Besides, this is something that he’ll have to deal with for the rest of his life. If Edwin had paid a little more attention to detail, or put in the amount of energy into his job as he did excuses, we wouldn’t have had to do this and I’d still have two fine crew members on the roster.

  “No. This is something that is far, far worse than death sentence. Maybe it’ll even help turn him into a person that can be depended on, but whether that happens or not, he won’t ever be in a position to hurt another through incompetence.”

  “I didn’t think you’d want to execute him,” Rovi said as he approached the table. “Thus my recommendation.”

  “How’s Lena bearing up?” the fox asked.

  “I’ve extended her down time for the next two cycles,” the older vulpine said. “I think Randal is pulling her through this. She should be fine by the time she returns to duty. I can tell you that this has had an effect on the rest of the maintenance crew, and Chief Rollins is making sure that everybody in his department is absolutely squared away.”

  “Good,” Sandy said gruffly. “I can’t say that I would have been as lenient, but it’s your ship and your command, son. And after hearing your reasons, I agree with the judgment.” He ran a hand through his mane and growled, something he’d been doing a lot of over the past couple of days. “I’m getting too old for this mess.”

  Cerise had continued working while the others talked, making sure that the Mast proceedings were properly recorded and the files compressed so that the encrypted information package could be sent to Joplin and a copy was logged in the ships computer core. She jerked upright when the intercom beeped before her replacement on the bridge spoke.

  “Captain Tivnan to the bridge. We have contacts bearing on us at zero seven five degrees relative, twenty three degrees inclination at one thousand three miles. No IFF signature. Preliminary sensor readings indicate several unknown configurations and one Carrack-class vessel matching the dimensions you wanted us to look for.”

  “Have they spotted us yet?” the fox asked the intercom.

  “Negative, Sir. They’re just…floating in the cloud.”

  “Tightbeam the rest of the squadron and tell them battle stations. Red alert, prep fighters and all weapons systems at the ready. I’m on my way.”

  “Aye, Sir.”

  Elias looked at Rovi. “Good hunting, Dad,” he told the older fox with a grin.

  “You too, son,” he said with a smile. As he passed Cerise he gave his daughter’s hand a squeeze before running out of the chamber.

  “By the Maker, I pray that it’s the Shiva,” the fox said

  No sooner did the small entourage make it to the bridge than all of them took their positions, Elias to his chair in the middle of the bridge, his wife to her communications and sensors console, and Saul to the primary pilot’s capsule.

  “Report,” Elias ordered as he looked at the holographic display in front of his position.

  It took Cerise a moment to bring up the information she wanted. “No change from the targets. I don’t think they’re aware we’re here yet.”

  The fox’s eyes narrowed. It was too good an opportunity to pass up and at the same time he didn’t trust what was happening in the slightest. “Stations call out,” he ordered as he contemplated the situation

  Each station called out their status as Elias continued to survey the scene. Once everyone signaled that they were ready, the fox tapped the intercom. “Fighters launch. Rovi hang back a bit. Do not engage until I give the word.”

  “Copy that, Captain. Launching.”

  “Squadron is ready and awaiting orders, Captain,” Cerise informed her mate.

  “Saul, hold course and prepare for evasive,” Elias ordered. “There’s no way that they can’t see us, even with all of the interference in this soup. What are they up to?” He snarled silently in further contemplation. “Well, fortune favors the bold, but punishes the foolish. Saul, take us up to ahead two thirds and bring us into weapons range. Weapons! Targeting solution for the Carrack-class ship, two missiles. Do not fire until my command. Fighter Wing, overwatch positions. As soon as we fire, I want an active sensor sweep from all ships, full power. Keep pinging away until I order you to stop.”

  Three agonizingly slow minutes ticked by and the tension on the bridge became a palpable thing as fight-or-flight pheromones flooded the enclosed space. “Open comm,” the fox ordered his wife.

  “Open on all channels,” she informed him.

  “This is the SPF Righteous. Stand down and surrender or we will open fire.”

  “Energy and engine signatures increasing,” Cerise called out. “Incoming fire!”

  “Weapons free! Target that damn Carrack!” Elias ordered, leaning forward in his seat.

  Everything seemed to happen at once, and the area inside the nebula became a confused maelstrom of energy weapons fire, missiles trails, explosions, ships taking damage, and vessels dying along with their crews.

  Saul maneuvered the cruiser with deft precision, his erratic seeming flight sparing the ship damage as he rolled, spun and dodged between high energy discharges from pulse cannon fire. The point defense weapons clawed missile after missile from the area around the ship. The hits that made it through were absorbed or dissipated by the shields, but the sheer volume of fire was taking its toll on the Righteous.

  “Shiva in bound!” Cerise informed the bridge.

  “Open a channel!” Elias yelled over the din of voices throughout the control center. “Shiva, this is Captain Elias Tivnan. You and I have met before, I believe. I’m going to give you one last chance to surrender. If you do not heave to don’t doubt that I will destroy you.”

  The communications screen flared to life and the fox looked upon the individual that had plagued him for so long. The tiger was one of the largest that Elias had ever seen of his species and towered over the rest of his bridge personnel. His white and black fur was immaculately groomed and he was dressed in the blood red leather uniform of the Ganlin Legion.

  “Ah! Captain Tivnan now, is it?” the tiger inquired. “From Warrant Officer on a little gnat of a ship to this. I’m impressed. You know, I was always curious as to how you survived your landing on Dennier. Then imagine my surprise to discover that it was you in command of that covert warship. The Guiding Angel was it?” The slightly amused expression on the tiger’s face faded to be replaced with one of hatred and distaste. “You have been quite the thorn in my side, Tivnan. Something I plan to remedy.”

  “Missile launch!” Cerise called out. “Nuclear signatures!”

  “Counter measures!” Elias ordered, feeling the slight additional vibrations in the deck plating as not only the point defense weapons opened fire, but several interceptor missiles launched as well. “Weapons! Fire torpedoes!”

  Fear-scent flooded the bridge a split second before the nukes were chewed to bits by interdiction fire and the interceptor missiles that exploded as soon as they neared the warheads, their primary function similar to a focused mine blast that sent a spread of osmium shot that shredded the enemy projectiles as effectively as a BB gun would aluminum foil.

  “Not very sporting, Major Brada,” Elias said, addressing the second highest officer of the Legion by name. “Would it help if I got a bigger ship so as to provide and easier target?”

  The tiger snarled at the screen and slammed his hand down on his own controls to terminate the communication link.

  “I think I’ve irritated him,” Elias said in an offhand manner. “Weapons, all fire on the Shiva! Saul, you know what to do!”

  “Copy that!”

  “Brada,” Sandy said with interest, his expression taut. “You sure know how to pick dangerous individuals to tick off.”

  “Torpedoes intercepted!” Odette informed her Captain from the weapons station.

  “Understood. Ready turrets. All fire to be concentrated on the Shiva!” he ordered. The fox then looked at Sandy. “Brada’s a has-been,” Elias said. “He might have been a sound strategist at one time, but now he’s too used to chewing on soft targets. Let’s see if we can break a few teeth.”

  The Shiva came streaking in at the SPF cruiser at top speed, weapons fire erupting from the front batteries and splashing on the larger ship’s shields. Likewise return fire swept over the Carrack-class vessel. As it passed, even the VRF guns opened fire at almost pointblank range.

  “Shields down by twenty three percent! Twenty eight percent!” Rollins immediately amended from his post.

  “Route secondary power to the shields!” Elias ordered. “Odette, take him out! For Melise, for Stram and for Rutger!”

  Mentioning the names of their shipmates that had been killed seemed to galvanize the bear and her hands flew over her controls. Pulse cannon blasts and explosive projectiles smashed into the shields of the Shiva. Her crews were able to keep half of the turrets with their Mk VII pulse cannon trained on the enemy vessel even as Saul brought the Righteous about in a tight turn that traded the aft for the bow in a gut-wrenching slewing turn that not even the inertial dampeners could compensate for.

  As they pursued the Legion ship, a virtual rain of energy bolts and missiles swept over the Shiva as the fighters that had been holding back entered the fray. The small ships were too fast for the overtaxed weapons of the modified Carrack to target and shot by the modified ship, their course bringing them below and behind their home cruiser to regroup.

  “Sorry, Captain,” Rovi said over the comm channel. “Figured we could add a little bit and for some reason Lena just couldn’t stay out of this one.”

  “Gee. Thanks, Colonel. Throw the blame on me,” the doe said on the same channel. “He’s right, though, Captain. We owe these guys!”

  “If you’re going to get into it, use hit and fade tactics,” Elias ordered. “No matter what, they’ll get their tickets punched today.”

  “Copy that, Captain. Alright children,” Rovi told the two wings of fighters, “let’s get some payback.”

  Once regrouped, the fighters came from behind the cruiser, using the heavier firepower of the warship to cover their own advance and let go with everything they had, the combined firepower splashing across the shielding of the vessel’s belly as its own pilot began to bring it around.

  “Talon missiles coming our way!” Cerise told the others.

  “Got ‘em,” Odette said calmly and used the ship’s weapons including the heavy guns to fill the space between both vessels with so much in the way of firepower that several of the missiles detonated prematurely and caused a fratricidal effect. As soon as the sensors indicated that the incoming missiles were destroyed, the bear triggered her own spread of Talons.

  Elias watched intently while still giving orders as the missiles homed in on the Carrack. The first detonated, cracking the modified freighter’s shields while the others systematically slammed into the hull. The fox jerked slightly in surprise as the communications screen flashed to life showing Major Brada, his anger at being defeated making itself apparent with the complete look of insane rage in the tiger’s eyes. The bridge behind him was in shambles with flames and smoke obscuring most of the details. The tiger shouted something, though there was no audio accompanying the transmission, it was fairly easy to deduce what was being said.

  They all watched as Brada took his personal blade and plunged it into his chest a fraction of a moment before the ship detonated, denying Elias from being able to claim his death.

  The bridge went temporarily silent and Elias sat back, slightly numb. All at once everybody returned to the task at hand and the enclosed chamber filled with voices and orders. “Saul,” the fox said, his voice sounding hollow in his own ears. “Bring us about and let’s finish this.”

  “Aye, Captain,” the jaguar said as he altered the vessel’s course.

***

   In and around the task force squadron was the wreckage and debris of numerous ships of all types and sizes. In the distance the War Maiden hung back, a gaping hole in her starboard hull that still burned despite the lack of oxygen. The Earth carrier, Trafalgar was still operational and flights of rescue shuttles could be seen landing and relaunching. The Tanthean destroyers were still very much intact and provided cover for the Ganisian and Terran ships while the two Mars built patrol ships had also taken up covering positions while the SPF squadron acted as pickets.

  As the Righteous rejoined the squadron, a message came through that surprised the vixen at the communications console.

  “Captain! It’s squadrons three, five and six requesting rendezvous coordinates. They made it through the far side!” Cerise exclaimed happily.

  Elias nodded. “Tell them it’s good to see them and send us their reports.”

 “Captain Tivnan, this is Commander Ladd of the SPF Vigilant. Sir, we’ve found something you may want to see. We’re linking with visual download now,” the officer in charge of the fifth squadron said over the channel.

  “Let’s see what he’s got, Cerise,” Elias said.

  The visual was far from what the fox or others were expecting. In the middle of an empty pocket of the nebula was a miniscule proto star, and around that orbited a small planetoid. It looked as if it had a thin atmosphere. Data streams began to appear on the side of the video. The planetoid was slightly egg shaped and measured less than six hundred miles across. While it did have a thin atmosphere, it was far from breathable being a noxious mixture of methane, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and ammonia.

  “Wonderful vacation spot,” Sandy commented.

  “You can keep it. All in all I think I’d prefer Quet,” the fox replied while looking at the image. “Cerise, can you enhance and scrub the image?”

  “Aye, Captain,” the vixen said as she set to work.

  Details emerged, blurry at first, then with greater detail. Elias squinted until he finally recognized what he was looking at his eyes going wide. “By the Maker! There’s no way we could take that. Not even if we had a hundred times the ships of the task force.”

  Even Sandy was stunned. “That explains why the cargoes they took never showed up on various markets. They’ve been using them.”

  “And slave labor.” Elias looked at the image again. The entire surface was a network of weapons emplacements. Energy weapons, projectile cannon, kinetic slug throwers and missile launchers. “Cerise, I want the images and detailed files sent to my ready room. Also contact the SPF QuickSilver. I’ll be needing to send a message to Commander Janes and she’s the fastest ship we’ve got. Disperse the fleet to cover any launches from that rock. Nothing gets out of there, nothing gets in. Not even a flea.” Elias tapped one of his chair controls. “Command staff to the ready room.”

  Elias stood from his chair as his orders were carried out. He watched as Cadet Brees slid into the secondary pilot’s capsule as soon as that individual took Saul’s position. Elias allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth at the efficiency of the female ferret and had to admit that the youngster was a credit to her adopted family before turning for his personal debriefing chamber.

  With a creased brow, Elias went to the coffee urn and poured a cup, adding his preference of condiments to it as he considered the problem. He waited while everyone made their way to the meeting, Rovi and Lena the last to arrive almost thirty minutes later as they’d had to dock. As it was, both individuals were still in their flight suits.

  “What’s the story, Boss?” Lena asked tiredly as she accepted a cup of coffee from Randal and mouthed ‘Thanks, Lover,’ to the wolf with a smile.

  “This,” Elias said as he brought up the images of the celestial body. “The home of the Ganlin Legion.” Everybody looked at the pictures. “Primary composition fifty two percent mineral in the form of quartz heavy matrix, thirty six percent iron, and eleven percent nickel with one percent trace elements. More surface emplacements than most civilized worlds have planetary defense bases, and as we all know, even with scattered PDB’s, the odds are always on the defender’s side. Trying to take this would be guaranteed suicide. Even if we were to strip every star system of its available warships our losses would be catastrophic.”

  “Standoff,” Rovi said flatly. “We can’t get in, they can’t leave.”

  “That’s about the sum of it,” the fox agreed. “And as we don’t know what they have in the way of supplies, it could be a very long wait. We can’t keep the resources we have here tied up indefinitely.”

  A DataCom pinged and everyone at the debriefing table looked to Cerise. “The QuickSilver is in range,” she informed her mate.

  “Instruct her Captain to dock with us. I’ll hand my request to her myself. Have her Captain brought here once docking is complete.”

  “Aye,” the vixen said and sent the order.

  “So what are you thinking?” Saul asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “That’s the clincher. If I were to go about this the most efficient way, we’d boil away the layers with sustained nuclear bombardment.”

  “But there’re civilians on that rock as slave labor…and worse! We know this for a fact!” Lena said, all signs of fatigue vanishing. “We can’t condemn innocents to that!”

  Elias raised his hands palms out to calm his friend. “And I agree with you. Killing civilians isn’t why I joined the SPF. We’d need authorization from the PA legislature for something like that anyway and I guarantee once word got out of something like that, the SPF would be disbanded and all of us would be shot. Unfortunately what I have in mind is a whole lot more dicey.”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.