Eric Olafson, Captain Black Velvet 01

Chapter 1

Xandrao

Terrans called this spiral shaped star island the Milky Way Galaxy, The Saresii called it Nsorothee and like everything Saresii it sounded refined and melodic but literally translated it meant Giants Sneeze.

Every star faring civilization had their own way to describe this incredibly beautiful spiral wheel. Stars were born and stars died. Black holes slowly rotated through it all, devouring energy and matter alike. It was a seemingly eternal process and yet there was a beginning and an end to everything. In cosmic terms this was a young Universe and this Galaxy had only completed about sixty rotations.

For most living beings it was simply impossible to really comprehend the time of just one such rotation; 225 Million Years was simply a number, something abstract and beyond any understanding.

Compared to that what significance were the 3000 years the Union existed?

Long ago the Uni and the Pree rose and disappeared within one single rotation. And they too were preceded by star empires and galaxy spanning civilizations, their names and their achievements forgotten.

Such time spans meant little to the beings in the shiny cone shaped spaceship that just dropped out of Quasi Space here at the edge of one of the spiral arms. Inaudible to living ears electronic feelers stretched out in all directions testing and scanning the surroundings.

The crew of that pointed metal object measured time in days and hours and the muscular, dashingly dressed shipmaster was not concerned with galactic time spans, he was more concerned about the here and now. If everything went to plan they would soon enter what the Kermac called secure space of the Galactic Council.

They had travelled further across this star isle than ever before and had reached space none of his kind has ever entered.

The ship was the pride of the Xandrao empire, bristling with weapons and crewed with the finest and best space warriors the Xandrao star academies could produce. There should have been no reason for concern, yet he was a seasoned shipmaster and like many who were in such a position, regardless of species had developed a sixth sense for conditions that weren’t quite right.

He felt that insubstantial, unexplainable tingling down his spine that told him despite all assurances of sensors and scanners, there was something out there that threatened his ship and mission.

He paced nervously behind the row of the twelve scanner and sensor operators. Each was a highly trained individual from the royal academy and they did their jobs well. Xandrao scanners were incredibly complex systems and required constant calibration.

Behind these Scanner technicians sat the correlator who typed the sensor reports into the situation calculator.

It was a very demanding position and required much concentration.

That this was an unnecessarily complicated way of doing things, especially on a spaceship was not entirely lost to the shipmaster but this was the way it had been done on Xandrao ships for a long time and no one really ever called the Xandrao a very practical race.

With a sigh he noticed Prince Albra step through the access doors and come up to the command center area.

The prince was a favorite son of the emperor and thus it was him who was sent on this perhaps most important mission in Xandrao history.

The prince was no fool and quite intelligent, despite the centuries of inbreeding among the noble houses and approached shipmaster Noldra Dorrx.

Compared to the gold and silver glitter laden uniform of the prince the shipmasters red and gold trimmed uniform appeared quite plain and subdued.

Albra masterfully swirled his cape and in a theatrical gesture and said with his high tenor voice. “I missed you at the table and had to entertain the Kermac envoys all on my own.”

The shipmaster bowed dutiful as it was required but despite the presence of the prince, he kept his eyes on the readouts of the threat and situation calculator. Without making the necessary respectful gesture he said.

“My presence would have not been noticed with you in the room. All eyes are on you, all ears are on you and all attention is given to you alone when you are present.”

The prince looked down at himself and nodded.

“Yes of course and I do look rather dashing tonight if I may say so. The Kermac envoy gifted me this cape. Don’t you think it is fabulous?”

“It will be the envy of all the Beauty Boys at court no doubt.”

Noldra hoped the prince would get bored and leave the Command Center.

However instead of the prince leaving, one of the Kermac envoys followed by two of his Dolbarian servants also decided to visit the command center of the ship.

Noldra could not suppress the annoyed snort that passed his nostrils. He didn’t like anyone strolling on his command center without having business there but there was not much he could do or say. The prince was in command now and the Kermac were important guests of state and the representatives of a mighty galactic power.

The Kermac who had just arrived was much smaller than even the smallest Xandrao. Unlike the Xandrao he had no fur or hair at all and the Kermac’s skin was snow white.

Noldra was covered with a coarse short brown fur from his head to his hoofs. Two massive horns protruded from his forehead just above his fur covered ears. His arms and legs were bulging with rolling muscles. Compared to him, the Kermac looked weak and sickly and that envoy did not even have a tail. Again a snort of disdain escaped his flared nostrils. The shipmaster was certain the Kermac’s manhood was just a small as the being itself, there was certainly no room for a Xandrao sized penis underneath that flimsy robe.

Everything was small and weak about the Kermac, but he knew they were an old species and if you believed their claims they were the undisputed and technically most advanced species in the Universe. That Kermac also demonstrated that he was able to somehow sense the thoughts of others.

The Kermac made a sweeping gesture towards the view screen.

“Why are we not trans-light, what is the meaning of this delay?”

Noldra flared his wide nostrils and curled his lips.

“We just crossed the void between the spiral arms and it taxed our engines to the very limits. We must pause to service them.”

The Kermac somehow managed to look down at the much taller Xandrao and said.

“I forgot how childish primitive your technology is.”

The prince said. “Yet your ships seem to be unable to reach Xandr as you came to us aboard a Dolbarian ship and from what I have seen, theirs are not superior to our technology. I know our emperor and my beloved prince brother thinks much of you but frankly so far we only seen visuals and recordings about Kermac supreme technology.”

The Kermac’s smooth face was moved by an emotion of anger.

“Your’s is a childish race and you are but a servant tasked with providing conveyance. No explanation should be given to you, but we can not travel in our magnificent ships as this is Freespace, a region where Kermac ships cannot go. I explained that to you, but you soon will see Kermac might and splendor and you will beg to become a serving member like so many.”

The prince standing behind his shipmaster was used to speak his mind from birth and so he said.

“Then explain to me again why the mighty Kermac cannot travel here. Who would dare to deny you?”

The shipmaster noticed the thinly veiled and growing anger in the Kermac’s face and the clenching fists.

The white creature hissed. “No one. Kermac are supreme. No explanations are needed, now get this ship moving so I can show you Kermac might indeed.”

With these words the Kermac left but the Dolbarians remained. The prince actually sat down on the command seat, technically reserved for Noldra only, but if it kept the emperor’s son out of his way it was a good thing.

The shipmaster crossed his massive arms and stared through the viewport in the eternal night of interstellar space. As far as Noldra knew, the Kermac were the masters of a huge star empire with many member species that served them and in return received the benefit of protection and wise guidance.

The Xandrao themselves conquered and ruled over a mighty twenty star system empire. Their fleet was feared and respected by the Furze, the Dawn and their immediate Galactic neighbors the Yotenen even conceded a disputed star system to them, without fighting as they knew how dangerous it was to raise Xandrao anger.

Yet he had travelled more than most of his kind and he had seen the ships of the Togar and the Jooltar and he knew just how aggressive the Togar cats could be and how incredibly advance their technology was.

That the Xandrao weren’t the most powerful or most advanced sentient species was a fact that was not lost to the emperor himself, and so when the Kermac envoys showed up, he agreed to send this mighty war ship and his favorite son to establish closer contacts with the Kermac.

If it was true what the Kermac had told about an association of many sentient species called the Galactic Council, it was a foregone conclusion the Emperor would decide to join that Galactic Council

Just like the emperor, Noldra as a high ranking member of the military has seen the intelligence reports on the expansionist Togar and if the reports were correct they ruled over a region of more than hundred sixty star systems and appeared to have technology even more advanced than the Down.

The Xandrao would fall if the Togar decided to expand and this was the real reason the emperor considered the Kermac proposal.

He moved his spoon shaped ears and they twitched just as the ears of his far distant ancestors did to shake of the flies that had troubled his kind for so long that it had become a genetic habit.

He said to his engine maintainer chief who appeared on a viewer screen.

“Don’t give me excuses, tell me when will we be able to resume trans light?”

The technician down in the engine room had his horns cut to short nobs as every Xandrao of the working class was required to do, knew about his value and position and said without lowering his head.

“I am not making any excuses, shipmaster. I am informing you that our engines were strained to the very limit and that I recommend we land at a suitable planet so I can exchange the main core with the spare we have along.”

“Your recommendation is noted and dismissed. Will you be able to service them so we can reach Kermac Prime?”

“It is hard to predict, but I assume we should make it.”

“I have your man pieces cut off and make you a field tilling Grox if we don’t. Now tell me how long until we can resume acceleration?”

“If the main core fails before we reach that destination, shipmaster. None of us will have enough pieces left for anything. To answer your question, we should be ready in three hours.”

Noldra cut the transmission knowing that this was actually a very good time, switching injectors and replacing mag shields was a big job and usually took half a day, doing it while in space and in five hours was a testament just how good his engine maintainer was.

The prince on his command seat had fallen asleep and started to snore, one of the pressed cakes of the finest herb infused grass, the prince liked so much, had rolled out of his hand and across the floor.

He looked at the Dolbarian, neither of the two small beings had said much during the entire visit and now they simply stood there, only their bushy tails twitching.

Noldra had to admit to himself he didn’t like the Kermac much and he found these Dolbarians laughable small, but they had fur and they had tails and those were redeming qualities in Noldra’s opinion of things.

Dolbarian tails were not anything like the thick rope tails with a paint brush tip all Xandrao had. Dolbarian tails were fluffy but it was a tail and to him it was easy to decypher the tail language and knew the two were nervous. So he decided to ask and said.

Why are you agitated?”

One of the Dolbarians gestured towards the viewer.

“We arrived in Freespace, big shipmaster. If we read your charts right we are in a region called the Devil’s Playground.”

“Your masters have not really explained what this Freespace is and why is this called the Devil’s Playground?”

The Dolbarian looked surprised. “You do not know about the Big Four and Freespace?”

The other Dolbarian said. “You Nift, they are from Downward and there is little contact. We are not supposed to tell them about the Big Four or the Union.”

“You are the Nift, as you just did.” snapped the other back.

“You are guests on my ship and guests of my Liege. I can not order you but if you know anything I should know about this region of space then tell me. It is your life too that could be in danger.”

One of the Dolbarians looked towards the door and said. “We are lucky that our Kermac masters are not of the highest order and their Psionics are mediocre at best.”

The other spread his arms and said.

“This Area is called the Devil’s playground because it is pirate infested.”

Noldra started to laugh and then he said. “Pirates? Did you just say pirates? You Dolbarian must be a very meek species indeed. This is the largest most powerful Xandrao ship, we eat Pirates for breakfast.”

The two Dolbarian looked at each other and one of them chirped. “The Xandrao do not know...”

Noldra said. “I can understand if you are small like that, pirates might be frightening, but they do not attack war ships, only helpless merchants.”

One of the Dolbarian put his small fur covered finger on the map display and said.

“Over here in this region are the Karthanians, more advanced than the Togar you fear, but far less numerous.”

His little hand moved the map display and then he pointed out another region. “Here are the Nine Shattered Kingdoms of the Ohgr and their Orkh-Oghr could easily eat you for breakfast so to speak, they fear neither the Togar nor the Karthanians.”

His little paw moved to another spot and moved in a circle that included at least a thousand light years.

“Here are the Nul, a species of brutish warriors that make you look small. They are also very advanced. Not even the Kermac and all their Thrall species would ever want to anger them.”

Again his hand encircled a large area.

“This is the space of the Shiss, mortal enemies of the Nul and fighting them for over 3000 years and they are not losing. They too are frightful warriors.”

The other Dolbarian leaned over the map display and pointed with a small needle sharp claw on a single star. “That is where the Holdians are, our distant cousins.”

Again the other Dolbarian scolded the other. “You are the greatest Nift I have ever met. I am trying to tell the ignorant Bovine about the Big Four before our taskmaster decides to come back and prevent any further education of the ignorant and you tell him about the Holdians, they are insignificant.”

He chirped something sounding very angry, Noldra did not understand and then the Dolbarian used his claw to draw an area that more or less included a quarter of the entire galaxy and then he added a sizeable area of another quadrant and said.

“This, you ignorant Xandrao fool, is the space the Union controls, it is them the Kermac fear like nothing else. The Kermac lost three war against them. Not the Nul, not the Shiss, not the Togar and all I have mentioned together could hope to prevail in a war against the Union. Oh Xandrao shipmaster heed my warning and never anger the Union, they are slow to anger but if they do and Terrans go to war, you will learn that anything you knew before about this most terrible of all exercises is a child’s dream.”

The other Dolbarian said. “The Union, the Kermac, the Shiss and the Nul are the Big Four and they have signed a treaty that defines a region called Freespace.”

Noldra snorted.

“I don’t believe you. No empire could be that big. It would take years to travel from one end to the other. Messages would travel for ages, it would be impossible to govern.”

The other Dolbarian was still pointing at the Holdian home system and had paid little attention. “They are not insignificant, they are Union now.”

“I must concur and revise my statement indeed about the Holdians and you shipmaster of the Xandrao, it matters little what you believe now. You will remember our words the first time you face a Union Battle Ship.”

Noldra no longer paid attention to the wild phantasies of these furry aliens as the scanner operators reported.

“Unknown ship contact approaching.”

FREESPACE

The Tigershark had its Janus masking system active. This unique device conceived by Narth Engineers and Mothermachine. manipulated materials, energies and conditions in such a way that it allowed the USS Tigershark to appear as something else.

This was no mere projection but a physical change that withstood the probing of any known sensor and scanning method, including of course sight and touch. The most advanced ship of the Union appeared to the outside world as a heavy modified old Karthanian armed trader.

An old ship with crudely added ISAH pods and Nul weaponry. The simulated hull featured a sloppy paint job, had welded armor plates patching battle damage. Some of that apparent repair patch work was added in a seemingly uncaring and hasty way. Some of the hull damage patches even showed signs of genuine rust. The sides of this simulated ship were decorated with a stylized silver lighting bolt and the name Silver Streak was painted by hand across its bow. The Silver Streak was known to be the pirate ship of the notorious and mysterious render captain Black Velvet.

Behind this disguise was the USS Tigershark. It was the pinnacle of Union Technology and had been in the works under the Codename “Project Fish” for centuries.

Since no Union Ship was allowed to operate in Freespace my ship was masked as Pirate ship and my crew posed as pirates, commanded by me Captain Black Velvet, a mysterious female Pirate of obscure origin.

Our mission was to hunt pirates, gather Intelligence on Union Mil Tech trade, find pirate hide outs and suppress the Slave and Drug trade. Specifically we were to find out more about the Sinister Alliance and eliminate a Pirate Captain called Red Dragon.

Har-Hi the Dai was sitting in the Command Chair of the Tigershark as he had the Conn during second dog watch. It was another hour to midnight OTT and the end of his shift. The USS Tigershark perhaps the most unusual ship in the Union fleet, with the most diverse crew ever assembled was on her way to a place called Brhama Port. This was an independent mining outpost in a shattered star system and also a notorious pirate port.

At the Nav station sat a 12,000 year old Golden who had been the leader of his kind. It was his first time on this posting. Krabbel the Archa spider and Senior Navigation Officer was off duty, but was present anyway sitting right beside the Golden to supervise the Old Merchant handling this post. Since he was here anyway he had volunteered to take Helm. While Krabbel was the ship’s Chief Navigator, he had a sufficient Helm rating to steer the Tigershark.

An Attikan Marine Officer named Pure manned Tactical. That a Marine manned a Bridge console was about as unusual as the ship and while it was not against regulations, it was unheard off. But then aboard the Tigershark there were quite a few things stretched to the very limit of standard Navy regulations and procedures. Har-Hi was certain there was no other Union vessel with a genuine Y’All warrior manning the Communications Console.

The Tigershark had its Janus Mask active and looked like a Karthanian Armed Trader and pretended to be the pirate ship Silver Streak.

Har-Hi turned a little to face the Engineering Officer. On duty was a small rodent like furry Holdian and said. “Everything alright with the tractors?”

He asked because they were towing a Pirate ship.

The little Holdian answered.

“Yes Sir, once the mass is in motion it takes very little to keep it going. The material stress and shear forces are well within expected tolerances.”

Har-Hi said.

“We once towed a full size Hospital ship with a Barracuda destroyer. Back then we were beyond any tolerance.”

The Golden said without taking his eyes of his read outs.

“I really want to hear all the adventures you and the Captain had. It seems there weren’t many dull moments.”

Har-Hi was both relaxed and highly alert and the tall Dai Than turned to look towards the Ready room door. “Indeed, Mr. Sobody there weren’t many dull moments since I met our Captain.”

Narth sitting at OPS added to the conversation.

“I have not yet managed to understand what the exact definition of a moment is. Is it more than a minute, less than 30 seconds. The expression of taking a moment or waiting a moment is quite confusing. Yet I too agree with our XO, the time we have shared...”

He interrupted himself and said. “Sensor contacts, at 7.9 degrees due course, distance 4.1. Hostile activity possible. It appears quite similar to our other encounter.”

Har-Hi said. “Drop us out of Quasi and cut thrust Mr. Krabbel. SHIP go to Yellow and be so kind and inform the Captain. She said everything that crosses our bow is fair game.”

The voice of the ship AI responded.

“She is on her way.”

Yellow Alert and SHIP’s voice caught me on Deck R just as I was climbing out of the ship’s swimming pool.

“Captain we have three contacts on scanner horizon. First situation assessment suggests two pirates and a third ship of unknown configuration.”

“Nothing for days, but each time I decide to take a swim, there is something.” I sighed and said. “All stop, maintain yellow alert and I am on my way.”

SHIP of course had her audio sensors open and since she wasn’t like any other Ship AI I knew, she said.

“It was you who wanted to be informed about any scanner contact. We could make a big swing around it, never appear onn their scanners and you go back swimming.”

I gave the shimmering inviting water a last look and said.

“I can swim anytime, this isn’t a leisure cruise and I am the Captain and must set an example. Why I am even explaining such things to you? You know we can’t leave things unchecked. It’s part of our mission.”

“Because I am your SHIP and I like have things explained to me.”

I jumped into the auto dresser and dialed for my usual pirate outfit. Of course I could have stayed and finished my swim and let Har-Hi handle the whole situation, but this would have been highly inappropriate out of a number of reasons. I was the captain and it was my responsibility. We had standing orders to investigate any ship contact during our mission here in Freespace and besides this was what I lived for, I could swim anytime.

While the Auto Dresser assembled the leather outfit around my recently altered body, I once more remembered Captain K’Tngnk while he let me steer his Pounder Class Battleship. Encounters in deep space were usually extremely rare and most situations developed in or near star systems, the usual destination of space ships.

However this was Freespace and the region we traversed right now was called the Devil’s Playground for a reason.

Our current course more or less followed the the outer rim of the Scutum Centaurus arm of our galaxy, somewhere in this region was Brhama Port our first destination to make my first official appearance as Black Velvet and introduce the Silver Streak to local eyes and establish ourselves as major player in this lawless region of space.

A few days ago we intervened as we witnessed a Pirate attack on what seemed at first a harmless civilian freighter. The Civilian freighter belonged to a Union Company but it was everything but harmless and after we captured and boarded the freighter, we found a horror freight consisting of human body parts and human captives intended to be sold on the Togar Meat markets.

The freighter, the pirate crew and the human freight was on its way back to Union Space and we were towing the Pirate ship sans its crew behind us, with the intend to sell it at Brahma Port.

My ship, the USS Tigershark was currently disguised as a Karthanian armed Trader named Silver Streak. To disguise an entire Starship we utilized by a marvelous device called the Janus System. I was quite certain that the Tigershark was the most unique ship not only within the Union fleet but perhaps in the entire Galaxy. It represented the very pinnacle of Union Technology and had been in development under the Codename “Project Fish” for centuries.

We operated not under regular Union Fleet authority but were part of the secretive X Fleet and under Command of NAVINT.

Our disguise and our undercover approach was necessary due to the Freespace treaty. This contract between the Big Four and about 70 independent civilizations, made it a war causing offense if any of the Big Four operated ships inside Freespace territory. No space ship operating under Union Authority was allowed to cross the treaty defined boundaries of this buffer region between the Big Four. This fact was used by pirates and criminals to escape pursuit and prosecution. So my ship looked like a heavily modified Karthanian trader and was known as the Silver Streak and I had taken on the disguise and identity of a female pirate Captain called Black Velvet. A female pirate of that name had raided ships and colonies four hundred years ago and then had vanished under mysterious circumstances. No one outside a very exclusive circle of individuals knew that the Black Velvet and the Silver Streak from back then also had been a NAVINT cover operation.

Our mission was it to hunt pirates and neutralize as many of that murdering scum as possible; to gather Intelligence on Union Mil Tech trade, find pirate hideouts and suppress the Slave and Drug trade. Specifically we were also to find out more about the Sinister Alliance and eliminate a Pirate

The region we were traversing was close to what the Dai called the Thalim Nebula. A region of space where five suns simultaneous went supernova.

Part of that Nebula had been claimed by the Union and much of what had been Galactic Council space in that area was now also considered Union Space, claimed after the recent events following the war against the Nogoll. The region was still in turmoil and the final boundaries subject to heated dispute and new friction between the Union and the Kermac led Galactic Council.

We now were clear on the other side of the Thalim Nebula.

I reached the bridge simultaneous with Shea, Mao and Shaka. Like a dance move practiced a million times, Har-Hi got up in a fluent move and so did everyone else, switching and occupying their stations.

I sank into the leather of my command seat and as always all doubts, all uncertain feelings left me. This is where I belonged.

“Engineering, disengage tractor and set the the Mighty Nine to drift. Tactical give me a full 360.SHIP, Battle view.”

While Circuit confirmed Tractor projectors deactivated, my Command seat was pushed up and my surroundings changed. I now had an unobstructed view of space, a simulated computronic enhanced view of course, bridge stations reduced to icons floating just at the edge of my field of view.

At 11 degrees of our intended course and at 3.9 light years distance were three bright signals.

Har-Hi spoke after he collected the different department reports.

“The contacts I am marking now red are known pirate ships. The 340 meter Anarka and the 360 meter Meronka, operated by the Terrible Twins. Hans is receiving detailed intel as we speak. Both pirate ships are heavily customized DeNoir Baltic class Corvettes, legally sold surplus from almost 700 years ago. Shea’s Power distribution scan confirms Mao’s armament estimate.

They both have very good Shimmer Shields in Union standard triple layer configuration and both are armed with real Nul Froth casters. Both ships would pose a serious opponent to the Silver Streak, together they would be more than a match to the ship we are supposed to be. Intel also reports, these two know how to fight together and thus well coordinated.”

Shea took over without even a second delay. “Their opponent is a massive 1000 meter ship of unknown configuration, but energy signature suggests Tech Level 5. Detailed weapon or material scans are not possible with the scanners and sensors we are simulating. The shields of the unknown ship appear to be standard energy and matter repulsors, no para- or transdim signatures present. Situation analysis suggests they are about to engage in hostile activities.”

“Alright then let us welcome the strangers and reduced the number of pirates in these region by two. All hands battlestations.

Raise shields.

Krabbel take us to the outermost range of our Snipers. If at all possible I like to stay out of the range of those Froth Casters.

Mao, clip their claws before we get any closer, prepare for Micro TL and see if you can time your fire whenever the alien ship fires.”

Har-Hi said.”That’s not a bad idea at all, they never suspect us but think it was the Alien.”

THE XANDRAO

Shipmaster Noldra was actually glad the uncertainty was over and his gut feeling had once more proven to be more accurate than the scanners. Two ships of unknown configuration were approaching.

The Kermac had returned to the bridge and the Prince woke from his nap. Albra blinked with his big brown eyes. “What is the matter, how can anyone find some rest with all this commotion?”

Noldra fumed. “Your excellency do you want to lead our vessel into combat against two unknown hostiles and remove me from command?”

“No of course not, I have full confidence in...”

Noldra was close to physically drag the Prince out of his Command stool.

“Then get out of my seat, now and take that pale piece of Alien offense of my bridge, your Majesty.”

The prince got up with a hurt expression and Albra sat down.

“Raise our Energy fences at once and prepare to launch Revenge Bringers. Operator see if those aliens can be raised on the Etherwaver.”

The Kermac did not leave and neither did the prince, but the Command crew around Albra functioned and did their duty. The white skinned ambassador of the Kermac pointed at the visual viewer.

“Don’t waste your time talking to them. Commence all resources to propulsion and continue to approach Kermac space. That space rubble will not dare to follow.”

“Kermac, you return to your quarters and remain there or by the First Emperor’s Holy Manhood I have you dragged there. We can’t go trans light until we have serviced the engines.”

The Kermac was outraged but knew when it was a good time to remain silent.

The Operator of the Ether set turned.

“We made contact to them and they demand our surrender. They will spare our lives if we hand over all valuables. They have not identified themselves.”

“Then our answer will be clear. Let us hand out something valuable indeed. Launch Revenge Bringers one through twenty...”

Xandrao ship to ship missiles were very fast and able to reach near light speed very fast and shut down their space cutting infra fields moments before impact, bringing 500 kilos of relativistic mass to bear traveling at 99 percent of light. They were equipped with the best computers Xandrao engineering could come up with and had the ability to split into multiple attack vector warheads.

The ship shuddered at enemy weapon impact. Lights flickered and seat restraints activated as ship gravitation was lost.

One of the analysts reported. “Enemy is using a Gravitation based weapon and it collapsed shields.

The enemy ships intercepted several Revenge Bringer missiles, but a good number impacted on their shields wearing them down.

One of the Scanner operators reported. “Ship Master, our Revenge Bringers have disabled both ships. For some reason we can’t yet explain our warheads must have penetrated the enemy shields and armor and destroyed some vulnerable spot. The enemy ships lost propulsion and weapons as it appears.

“Finish them off!” Yelled the floating Kermac.

Noldra wanted to finish off the Kermac but he said.

“Reload the Missile tubes and fire a second volley.”

“Ship Master Noldra we are being called from a third ship that just appeared on our scanners.”

Mao grinned proudly. He had just disabled both pirate ships with micro TL loads. Timing them with the impacts of the primitive missiles

“The problem these Pirate sisters had that they are using old Union DeNoirs, and we knew exactly where their computronic cores were. No Computronic ... nothing works.”

“Let’s make sure they don’t find time to activate some sort of back up.” I said.

To my Helmsman I added. “Shaka get us closer. Elfi see if you can hail the unknown and establish communications.”

Narth said. “The newcomers are from Downward and it appears they are here for the first time indeed, but they are not here for exploration reasons. I sense two Kermac among them.”

I slapped my hand on my arm rest.

“And here I was wanting to spare newcomers the fate to be victims of a pirate attack, and all we find is yet another GC thrall species. Not that they should be here with a warship like that in the first place.”

Elfi said. “I have made contact, Captain. They are using a simple audio only Tachyon Radio I send greeting in all common languages and they responded to Kermac right away.”

“Put me on.”

“Comm Link open Captain.”

“This is Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. To avoid any confusion. I am a Pirate and we are here to make a profit. Initially I wanted to assist you and keep you unharmed,, but since you speak Kermac you are violating the Freespace Treaty, you are to surrender and shut down all Energy consuming devices.”

Shea said.

“Captain, they are about to release another volley of their missiles.”

“Can we prevent that without blowing them to pieces?”

Mao said. “The missiles are released individually, but we could blow their force field generator and then Tech Stop the whole ship.”

“Alright do it.”

Mao’s approach worked but not before the strangers released six of their missiles. One of the pirate ships was the target and without shields it was defenseless and the Anarka exploded before Mao’s tech stop shut down everything on both remaining ships.

“Hans take a team and scour the remaining pirate. Neutralize any resistance, stasis survivors, see if you can secure their data and find something Sobody might want to keep for our treasure.”

Hans bellowed an Aye, Ma’am and stomped to the IST.

Chapter 2 »