Eric Olafson, Space Pirate 17



Chapter 17: Bereaver

Trying to keep a cool head and made sure I didn’t raise my voice even a notch. I didn’t like those commanding officers who barked or yelled orders. I preferred the style of Captain Zezzh and Captain Harris and said. “Mao, full shields, extend Exo-load turret and load both bomb shafts with P Bombs. Har-Hi give me a full damage and casualties report.”

Mao said. “Full real shields activated all weapons active, Bomb shafts loaded and ready for P Bomb deployment.”

Har-Hi looked over his readouts. “The Janus device is damaged, and so is our projected appearance, the simulated Kartanian shields are completely destroyed but our real hull held and received no detectable damage. Petty Chief Gorragh reports a three degree burn after being dosed with hot water in Environmental. Lines are being fixed and the Petty Chief is almost ready for duty again.”

I acknowledged with a Nod.”Elfi hail me that voice on one of those PSION channels we supposed to have.”

“We do have Leedei Psion tech and communication, Channels are open.”

“This is Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Calling the entity that threatened and attacked us. I am open for dialog and establishing contact. I offer peaceful dialog but I will not accept any further attacks. I have the means to turn your moon into nuclear slack.”

The voice answered “You are the rock breakers. You destroyed Olours. You stole Olours. We are the Conck.”

Another massive bolt of concentrated energy hit the Tigershark.

Mao reported. “Shields at 44 percent. This bolt was stronger than the first, by a magnitude of 120 percent, equal to the Unions strongest FTL cannons.”

I think whoever is down there doesn’t believe me. Mr. Three-Four can your sensors pick up the approximate location of the Kermac escape ship?”

“I am able to narrow it down to a 12 kilometer radius. I can see their distinct energy signatures between all the other disturbances.”

“Close enough. Mao target that area and plant an Exo load. That should take care of the Kermac and show the others we are serious.”

I turned to Narth and said. “Any objections, do you sense anything or do you think you can communicate with them?”

Narth actually shrugged with his shoulders as he said. “There is so much rage, so much anger that I am unable to get through. It is a truly alien mind. I am currently in conversation with the Narth Supreme and no Narth has ever encountered a mind like this. All I can say it appears to be a mind of great power able to manipulate Trans dimensional energies. Narth Supreme suggests that your approach might be as good as any other.”

I wondered if I did the right thing, my orders where clear. Prevent the transform technology to fall in enemy hands and I didn’t have much time. My friends and Shea were in trouble and I knew it had to do with whatever was down there. “Mao, reload TL with a Giga load and fire.”

A Giga load was still developing the equivalent explosive force of a billion tons of High explosives. While such enormous explosive forces affected a target in deep space only by direct impact, as shockwaves could not travel through vacuum, it was an entire different effect when exploding inside an atmosphere. The Anti matter explosion was so intensive; it instantly cleared a huge section of the dense cloud cover and spewed material into space.

I had Elfi hail the Voice again.

“This was a small demonstration of what we can do. Now we didn’t break any rocks before, but I promise you I break any rock on that moon of yours if you continue the hostilities. You accuse us of crimes yet we have never been here before. What shall it be, dialog or war? Not that we need to remain here as our business here is elsewhere.”

“You murdered the gentle ones, the ones that promised to return the children. You abducted and destroyed Olours. The Gentle ones were right, you are a brutal and war mongering species. We have little patience for brutality and the kinds of atrocities marking much of the development of the Galaxies and those who worship Darkness and death.”

“At least we are talking, even if you keep repeating accusing us of crimes we could not have possibly committed as we never been here. If you refer to the Kermac as being the gentle ones you are on the wrong track. And if those Olours resemble a big blue egg like rock then I know where it is. You find it aboard a Kermac ship not far from here and I am willing to return that rock to you, if that stops you from accusing us.”

Narth said. “The mind is confused, it has no concept of ships, colors, big or small, but I cannot go deeper. That mind is not accessible to my probing as other minds are, it would require much study.”

“Shaka get us back to the Kermac ship.”

Three-Four said.”Captain I am picking up sixty very large space ships of unknown configuration but energy readings and material composition points to Kermac origin. None of our data banks have data on 5000 meter Kermac Units. They are heading this way. They are slow but will be here within two hours and thirty minutes away.”

“Narth see if you can restart or reconfigure that Janus Device.”

“I will try Captain. I am getting Shea and the others they are alive, but they are fighting and something aboard that Kermac ship is interfering with GalNet.

“Elfi get me the Admiral before we get to close to that ship.”

Elfi managed to get me a connection tothe Admiral and I talked fast and delivered my report of the events so far.Then I added “I will attempt to rescue my crew from that Kermac T Cruiser, before the Kermac Units arrive. I doubt I can fight sixty of them with or without disguise, but I will try to outrun them”

He said. “I don’t know what is more disturbing, the news of a previously unknown Kermac fleet of this magnitude or their willingness to risk war by entering Freespace in such a show of force. I will raise sector alert and contact the Kermac. You are on your own for now. If at all possible find out what is so important on that moon, that the Kermac risk all this.”

I acknowledged and the Connection faded out as we closed on the Kermac T cruiser.

I said.”Elfi try to hail them with normal Radio frequencies, we are close enough.”

I was out of my seat and on my way to the door when Har-Hi’s voice reached me.”Captain your place is on the bridge. Let me go.”

I didn’t turn.” Elfi you have the bridge. If we do not return before the Kermac arrive, you return to Richter base as fast as you can.” To Har-Hi I said.”Let’s go.”

The IST was too fast for any conversation, but as we both ran down the Corridor of the Marine Deck towards the equipment and deployment lock. I said. “I take your objection serious and you are correct, but that isn’t me. There are times I must remain on the bridge, but not now.”

“We reached the equipment deck jumped into Battle dressers, Ship had already dialed them to the correct equipment and he said as we came back out in Gilgamesh suits. “You are the Captain, I follow you to wherever you lead us, but this isn’t how it supposed to be done.”

I grabbed a boarding ax, not that I needed any additional weapons, but I always trusted bladed weapons more than anything else. We both ran through the membrane field and activated our boot thrusters. This time there was none of the usual fear I had when being in deep space. I was too worried about the others and to eager to get them out and leave before the Kermac came.

Like two miniature rockets propelled to projectile speed we approached the Kermac ship. A Kermac T Cruiser was at last until know the backbone of Kermac war ship technology and used exclusively by Kermac and their closest, most important Thrall species. These ships were formed like the letter T in the human Terran alphabet, with a long rectangular main hull of 450 meters and a cross bar at its end of 250 meters. The hull was 80 meters wide and 67 meters deep. The Crossbar section held the Kermac Version of two ISAH pods on each side. This T cruiser’s aft section was ripped to shreds by our initial attack, but now my suit sensors picked up energy readings of other Gilgamesh suits, sporadic weapon fire. While the Gilgamesh was overall almost a ton lighter than a Quasimodo, it was made of advanced materials and had better shielding, more power, better Computronics and improved weaponry. Har-Hi signaled me that he had seen the energy concentration too and without Psionics or long discussion we worked out a plan and basically decided to come in from the other side.

We entered the ship through a jagged hull breach and into the engineering section.

An Antimatter warhead of our TL sniper cannons had caused this and to see the result close up was sobering, as I noticed the Kermac had also crew quarters in this section. The further we went inside the ship the more evident it became just how effective an antimatter explosion inside a ship was. We moved as fast as we could but I did see the burned out shells of Kermac Battle and space suits, baked and molten in grotesque positions to the charred deck plates. I had no time to reflect on my own handy work, but I somehow understood why the Kermac risked everything to get their hands on the secret of this weapon. I also remembered the twisted wreck of the Seneca and almost like a ghost of my own making I remembered the frozen body of the Garbini.

Now my Comm. System picked up the others and I could hear Hans’s steady voice. “Solack and Forster fall back, and keep an eye on the ceiling and watch where you shoot. We just got to hold the fort till the Captain comes back. He’d never forgive me if we lose the loot and come back one man short.”

“Hans I am here. Forget about the loot, get out if you can, the Tigershark is close by. We need to evacuate fast, more Kermac are on their way.”

“Captain we are facing a highly intelligent life form on silicone, rock basis that is able to teleport and even deflect weapon beams. Shea thinks they use precise gravitation control. The blue egg like thing broke apart in hundreds of little rock things. They can be destroyed but only if you can hit them.”

“That’s all for later. Get out of here and make sure you decontaminate and scan. I don’t want these things aboard the Tigershark. Any casualties?”

“Yes we have wounded, and Shea is in Stasis. I evacuate now, but they are likely to follow us and try to prevent us from leaving.”

“I will distract them, are you all suited?”

“Yes there isn’t any atmosphere left in this ship.”

“Prepare to leave on my signal.”

Har-Hi and I muscled open a heavy air lock and my Dai friend said.”How do you plan to distract something you have no idea what it is?”

“I am going to break some rock.”

Har-Hi sighed as he pointed his gun in the next corridor. “I was afraid you would say that.”

Something the size of a soccer ball, with the form of a large asymmetric pebble appeared right before Har-Hi’s helmet and whatever it was forced him hard and fast to his knees, despite the Gilgamesh suit, the deck plates started to dent and around him. All happened in the blink of an eye, but Har-Hi managed to fire, his weapon bolt was not absorbed by a shield but deflected.

Two more of these floating blue rocks appeared.

Har-Hi groaned.” I just broke my legs; I am under 1800 tons of pressure.”

I hammered the Ax on the first rock and unlike the weapon beam, the vibrating blade made contact, sparks flew and I chipped a sizeable piece of the rock.

Now I felt the pressure. It was like being caught in a giant vise. I heard Hans. “The Rocks all left, and went back inside the ship. Whatever you did, worked.”

Har-Hi began to float and he said. “Captain, I am also free, my Arti Grav still works.”

“I could no longer move; I heard the armor of the Gilgamesh groan.”Har-Hi get out, take charge and take the Tigershark away. Come back for me if the Kermac are gone, but we have no time right now. Take the ship and hide it somewhere.”

“Captain, Freya ... Eric.”

“Get out that’s an order. I should have listened to you, I know. Narth will know where and how I am. Now go.”

He hesitated for one second and then floated into the other direction. More and more of the blue rocks kept assembling before me. Why they hadn’t crushed me to pulp, I could not tell, but the boarding ax became too heavy for me to hold and it slipped out of my fingers and was twisted into a twisted pretzel before my eyes.

My suit system reported exceeding 1700 times standard Gravitation. System shutdown imminent. Structural support fields will fail in 12 seconds. It is recommended to leave this Gravitation center.”

“Glad you came up with that plan.”

I cursed and called myself a fool. My career so suddenly ended because I once again rushed into a situation without thinking. Who would have thought I bite the dust, on my very first official mission?

If I had my real ax, I would show those rocks. Not some cheap technological imitation of Bereaver, my Axe. The pressure became more intense, but no. “I know of thee, Olours. I know you are born of the Conck. You are ancient and sided with the light. What need did I have of a battle suit? The pressure still held this fragile body, who was I, why was in this ridiculous biological form? Why could I not form a clear thought? Oh yes but I could form one thought that would bring me what was rightfully mine and with Bereaver in my fist, I find the rest of me and then woe to all who tricked me. A thought formed in me and I raised my hand against the laughable, feeble attempts to restrain me. My hand risen I yelled: “Bereaver tear asunder time and space, nothing shall keep vengeance incarnate from me. BEREAVER TO ME.”

With my left I grabbed one of the Children of Cunck. “You move a glacial pace, you are of the First League, your age is great yet you are but matter and simple life.”

There, I could sense it ... it came. Like a meteor of infinite speed Bereaver the Axe, Vengeance incarnate united with my fist. “DIE.”

I crumbled the Child of the Blue Mountain to dust in my fist and my Ax, oh my Ax it sang and pulsed with anticipation as it was made by my own hand in the crucible of infinite fire and heat in the nexus of all energy, forged to slay those who call themselves Gods and keepers of the Rule, what chance had the Children of Conck? What were the Olours, but dust and dirt beneath my feet?”

DIE.

There weren’t enough to kill. There was not enough to quench my thirst for revenge, and still there was so much of me, that was still lost. Who was I? What ... What was that? Who was calling me? Who is Erica? Eric, I am Erica.

That call, that voice it, was so familiar, so soothing. Of course it was Narth. My friend Narth.

Yes I was foolish to run off half cocked when my place was on the bridge. Har-Hi was of course right, but I did not regret it. My friends made it to safety, hopefully outrunning the Kermac. My life was a small price to pay so Shea and Hans and all the others could escape. These strange floating rocks would crush me; the 12 seconds had to be over by now.

Narth voice again. “Eric, can you sense me?”

“Yes I can. Everyone made it?”

I opened my eyes and could see none of the rocks. The pressure was gone and now I could hear the suit system.” Suit integrity breached, emergency force field deployed to maintain suit atmosphere. Damages beyond Nanite repair capability.”

The intense pressure must have knocked me out for a moment. As I looked down myself I wondered what those rocks did to my suit, it was in tatters, what force could destroy a Gilgamesh battle suit like that and not kill the wearer, in this case me. Even in this state the suit protected me with a contour force field. Union tech was almost more impressive when it was damaged and still worked than when it was shiny new. All around me was a layer of bluish dust and small pieces of rock, but there was no life in it. To my pleasant surprise there was an antique ax on the floor, it looked the same as the one I had found in the Cave of Things and sent home.

Narth was still in my mind and he said.” The Kermac fleet turned around and is high tailing it out of Freespace. We are momentary hiding in the atmosphere of the 2nd Gas planet. We are on our way to get you now.”

“Great, I have little energy left and not much breathable air.”

“Are you alright?”

“You don’t need to ask something like that. You can feel and see my thoughts. I am not sure what happened to the floating rock things. Maybe they went too far from their moon or something”

“There were seven minutes and 56 seconds I could not sense you at all.”

“I am not the Psionics expert, but maybe it had to do with the rock creature. They could manipulate GalNet Trans dim energies and gravionics, maybe they did something.”

I felt like reborn after I was rescued and took the time for a 3 minute shower and went through the Saresii Auto Dresser. My female disguise had suffered as much as my suit. I hung the ax as a souvenir over my bed and returned to the bridge.

They all were there and gave me a scolding stare. Shea flew over and hugged and kissed me and said. “Now you can reprimand me for behavior inappropriate, but I had to do it.”

“I can do that later. We still have to check what is on that moon and I want to know what made the Kermac turn. I also like to get a full damage and casualties report. Finally I need a scientific evaluation of the recent events. I still like to know what we fought on that Kermac ship and what happened to those rocks.”

Har-Hi said. “We analyzed some of the Computronic files of the Kermac ship, Hans managed to secure and it gets weirder when you hear what that Kermac fleet intended to do.”

I checked our position and said. “How is the Janus Device?”

Circuit said. “We need to land somewhere. Narth and I have to replace the fused matter manipulators on the Starboard side, before we can switch appearance. Right now we are Kartanian only on one side. Other than that the ship is undamaged.”

Cateria delivered the Casualty report. “All injuries, including the skull fracture, Shea suffered are mended and the Crew is healthy. Even our stubborn Captain as far as my scans can tell.”

I glanced at her. “I see you are no longer the Outsider and have joined the rub-it-in club.”

She deactivated her med scanner and her angular, somewhat harsh face suddenly lost all the edge as she smiled. “No Captain, am no longer the outsider and after feeling lost and without a place I belong to, I now feel I belong and I am at home right here aboard this magnificent ship. I have real friends. Something I did not even have while I served the All-queen of Seenia so long ago. I am your CMO and entitled to an opinion.”

I was glad she felt that way and simply nodded at that and then asked. “Har-Hi can you fill me in on what you found out?”

My XO motioned to the ceiling and said.”SHIP can you start with the drawings you made?”

There on the viewer an actual drawing appeared. It was a technical drawing with incredible detail and accurate. Har-Hi explained. What you see are not 5000 meter Kermac ships, but Double T Kermac freight tugs. The freight they are transporting are 5000 meter Kermac Ion Pulse motors, not even the Devastator has ISAH pods of that size. There are sixty of them and now comes the incredible part. The Kermac planned to attach these sixty Ion Pulse motors to that moon, and slowly accelerate it out of its orbit and take it across the 45 light years that separates this system from Kermac Space. The computronic data we were able to decipher speaks of Project Conck and it carries the seal of the Grand Wizard himself, there isn’t much else in terms of detail or why they wanted to move that moon and whatever is on it. From the mind dumps we know that the project is very important and has been in the works for a long time.”

Shea said. “SHIP drew these images as the ships were too far for our Visual sensors to make out details, so she used other sensor data and descriptions of the Kermac data files to come up with these.”

“Paint me an Ult, those are pretty good, looks like my ship’s Omnitronic has a creative streak and is talented to boot.”

SHIP managed to sound embarrassed and proud at the same time.”Thank you Captain and I was worried about you too. Just so you know.”

I got up and said “Guys one thing I have to say before I call the Admiral and deliver this report. I am who I am. I respect you all, I will heed Har-Hi’s advice and I know he was right, but this is my style, this is me and I can’t stop getting mixed in the middle of things and I doubt this will stop. Admiral Stahl does it, Captain Zezzh does it occasionally and I also decided to forgo calling you Mister and all that, you are my friends first and my crew second and I give a damn about the regulations in that regard.”

Narth, who had his hands buried in the sleeves of his cloak, put one hand on my shoulder.

“No, I am certain this is one thing you cannot change about yourself and it is what makes you what you are.”

I called the admiral and delivered him a detailed report and Shea added her scientific findings. McElligott listened without interruption and then said.

“The Kermac turned around after Enroe Industries send a few of their security units, Alex was so kind and helped me out there. The Kermac of course didn’t want to be seen and had to return as fast as possible. We are certain that they will come back. After listening to your reports, they invested too much in that project.

Whatever it is, it is big and important and it seems whatever comes from that planet is able to fight Union soldiers in our newest Armor and neutralize Fenris robots. So we cannot afford not to find out everything we can. Therefore I must ask you to investigate. I am pleased you managed to destroy the Barracuda.

Cherubim will send out another Undercover Unit. It will tow the remaining T cruiser and take whatever specimen and Stasis prisoners you have back to Richter base for further analysis. Do your investigation as subtle as you can of course.

Chapter 18 »