VotTS Chapter 13: Done playing nice

Chapter 13: Done playing nice

Everything was right as snow to me. I sat in a command seat surrounded by many of my friends. We were in Union Space inside a very fast and very well armed ship and were on our way to meet the rest of my friends and crew. I was really looking forward to my ship, my own quarters and whatever mission lay ahead.

I reclined comfortable, had my legs crossed and almost dozed off, looking at the soothing sight of deep space displayed on our main viewer, some stars showing as Quasi streaks of light.

I had a chance to GalCom with Har-Hi who was also in his way to Richter aboard a Union fleet Leyland with more members of our crew. He was on his way from Dai Nest and swung by Blue Moon to take Shea, Sodoby , and others.

I talked to Circuit who was already at Richter base. He was confident that all upgrades, refits, and repairs would be done in less than a month. SHIP also exchanged a few words and I told her just how much I missed my SHIP.

Mao lovingly caressed his console."She isn't the Tigershark of course, but this fish has serious teeth."

Our helmsman, Shaka gave his trademark all teeth grin."And it is the fastest ship for sure, even faster than our boat. The latest in Attikan Isah pods, not the super fuel free tech we got in the Tigershark."

Elfi keeping the Comm said."I am getting an APB Union Police to assist request."

I sighed silently and straightened in my seat."Are there any other Fleet Units able to respond? How far is it and what is the nature of the request?"

"Yes, Captain there are other units responding, but we are closest. It is an all-points bulletin to all law enforcement and Union Fleet Units in the region. A prisoner transfer transport with two hundred convicted felons has been hijacked."

"I am sure Federal Police and other Fleet units can handle this. I sort of promised Admiral Stahl to stay out of trouble."

Narth said."We can not ignore it either. That would be against regulations, the call is registered with our log book along with our position. Ignoring this on purpose could be cause for a hanging, not even the Eternal Warrior could prevent, especially since he would never use his position to circumvent laws or convictions. He did not even do so for himself."

I frowned at him and noticed every eye on the bridge focused on me.

This time I sighed loudly."Elfi we are well within GalCom and GalNet range, call Fleet command."

"No need Captain, there is an incoming call from Fleet Command, Admiral McElligott. It is sent on the all fleet channel."

"Put us on then."

The image of the Old Highlander replaced the view of deep space."All units within the vicinity of region US-Q-18-R96 respond to the Union Police assist request. The convicts are arrested pirates and personnel convicted dealing with the Worm. They were on their way to Brisbane, some of them to be executed. The rest to serve life sentences."

The Admiral pulled up a situation map of the region."We do not know how they managed to take control of a ship with marine guards, wearing prisoner control suits unless they had outside help. I want that prisoner transport secured, any surviving officers rescued and whoever helped identified, arrested or eliminated. This is a Priority order issued to all units in the vicinity."

"There is our answer," I said. "It's an official order."

Everyone turned to their stations, almost like athletes expecting a start signal.

"Mr. Krabbel lay in an intercept. Mr.Suit and Mao work together and squeeze those sensors. I want to know what's out there. Cloaked, artificial, beings in suits. Narth please find Mr.Fivcheer and do the same with your minds. Hans, please contact Union Police. I want a prisoner list, a crew list, description of the vessel and every detail of its mission and flight path."

They all went to do what I told them to do.

I heard Krabbel say to Mao with a satisfied chirp."We're back in business. All that vacation time is for lazy Nuflugs."

--""--

Meateater, the former pirate had very rudimentary memories as to what happened to him. The last consecutive memory he really had was about the Quest for the Celtest depot and a fuel stop on a planet that turned out to be covered with a continent-sized living blanket of sorts. He did try to attack the Silver Streak under that arrogant female captain Black Velvet. After that, his memories really started to get fuzzy. He had no real explanations how he ended up in a Union vessel, stasis hold. He was reanimated by Union Marines, decontaminated, molecule level scanned and searched, stuffed into a virtually indestructible and humiliating prisoner control suit and herded with other members of his crew into a prisoner holding facility. He had no idea where he actually was. It could have been a ship, station, moon or planet just about anywhere.

Most of his crew was there, and surprisingly members of several other pirate crews. He noticed a muscular Togar, just like him in a prisoner control suit. Sitting on a plastic material bench across him, waiting to be seen by registration. Just like his, the suit had bonded with the bench and inhibited pretty much any movement.

"I am not so good keeping Togar apart, but aren't you Captain Lemakr?"

"I was until I ran into a Union Battleship, that knew I was coming. Now I am Lemakr, the prisoner most likely to see the Executioner."

"I am Meateater, we both have been on that Quest with the Red Dragon."

"You can't be Meateater. We saw you being killed by Black Velvet."

"But I am not dead. I remember that living continent thing and me trying to get her ship, but then I remember not much else until they reanimated me here."

"The Quest was a bust. Captain Carrhrh was executed by the Porsthir. For shooting one of theirs and burning off an arm of mine. They actually gave me the proceeds selling the Celestial Nightmare. I called it quits and wanted to fly home, but I didn't get far. A Union Battleship so far away of Union space waited for me, basically right there. As good as my Kalita is, going toe to toe with a Union monster is suicide."

Meateater answered."Being a known pirate and crossing the path of one of these monsters is suicide as well."

"Tell me about it, we are all headed for the scaffold. If there is evidence you killed or sold Union citizens, there isn't much in terms of mercy."

A woman with white scaled skin came out of the registration office, guarded by two marines and placed on a bench.

Meateater had no problem identifying her, this was Lia Bassett. Officially the black sheep of the Bassett family, Meateater suspected her to be in cohorts with the Shiss.

There was some revelation dawning in his head. "It appears everyone associated with the Quest ended up in Union custody."

Lia heard him and grunted. She could not speak as she was not only incapacitated by her control suit, but she was gagged as well.

He realized there was something odd going on. The list of pirates had been reduced in significant numbers.

All this happened several months ago, now he was aboard a Prisoner transfer transport on his way to Brisbane, this was to be his last journey. The jury found him guilty and the Union Judge sentenced him to death. The execution was to take place at the notorious Union Maximum Security Stockage 12, also known as Brisbane Prison Colony. It was the oldest and perhaps most infamous prison facility of the Union. In no small part due to its most famous prisoner and the only one ever escaping. It was none other than Admiral Stahl himself.

That happened over 1500 years ago, no one ever had escaped since. Brisbane, so he learned was a special place, it was a Union Fleet stockade and a prison for non-Union citizen convicted on the most severe crimes. In terms of Union laws, there weren't much more serious crimes than piracy and the trade in sentient life.

There was no real defense. He could not argue against visual footage and physical evidence tying him to over 400 cases of murder, piracy, rape and the capture and sale of sentient beings of Union origin. He did not deny them.

The same fate befell on the surviving Togar and the Bennett woman.

Some of the captured pirates received lesser sentences, but all were to serve them at Brisbane.

While he had lost all hope, it struck him odd that Lia Bennett was defiant and full of spunk. She tried to tell him something with her eyes, he was just not human enough to identify even half of what her facial expressions tried to tell him.

Whatever it was, it became apparent that it had to do with an escape attempt and a prisoner revolt.

It happened during the fifth day of their journey when the prisoner control suits suddenly deactivated and were removed easily.

Lia and several beings of her crew, came into his cell, brandishing Union TKU blasters.

"Want to meet the hangman or fight with us?" She asked.

There was no choice and no alternative. He got up and she tossed him a TKU. "Black Velvet and the Red Dragon were in cohorts with the Union all along. They sold us out to a Union Captain named Olafson. This Olafson was known to the Thauran. We almost captured that Union Ship too.

Meateater stormed after her."Good riddance to Red Dragon, but I am going to make it a personal mission to kill them both if I ever meet them again."

He saw several dead Ultra Marines, the special guards."How?"

"I got mighty friends, the ship's AI has been replaced. The prisoner control systems are offline and the containment and internal weapons are under our control."

The corridors were dark, except for the flashing lights of the red alert strobes. He could smell the putrid smell of superheated materials and the stench of burned flesh.

Lia had about sixty prisoners freed so far.

"Our friends should be cutting into the bridge of this Union shit piece. She wore a communication wrist band and spoke into it."Did you guys secure the bridge and roasted a few Union officers?"

"No, we have difficulties." The bridge is defended, despite us flooding it with the most lethal gases.

"You idiots! There are hundreds of Union members that do not breathe air. Whoever is there most likely had time to call for help. We need to move!"

--""--

Hans made a puzzled face and said. "This is weird, this is not a standard prisoner transfer ship, but a modified Meteor freighter leased to the Justice Department. The reports are more than screwed up, Captain."

"Keep digging, I like to know everything about that transport. Who authorized it? Who decided to use a Comet freighter and so forth."

"Aye Captain. The prisoner list is a similar mess."

"What is our ETA?"

Shaka did not remove his Virtu Helmet, but he answered giving evidence that he was very aware of bridge conversations."We will be within one light year in fifteen minutes, Ma'am."

"Narth, this bird can cloak right?"

"Yes it will be invisible to known sensors, but the Quasi Shock of us dropping into standard space cannot be cloaked."

"Activate it anyway. Let them figure out what dropped. Mao, get your weapons hot just in case."

I missed Har-Hi as I almost asked him to sound Battle stations, but Narth was mentally connected to me. The alert sounds revibrated through the small ship. I also missed SHIP, she would have already raised my seat into the battle view. Realizing that this ship didn't have one, a virtu view helmet was lowering over my head instead. While the resulting battle view was almost the same, I decided to ask Circuit if he could install the same battle view dome as I had on the Tigershark. While the difference was small, it was noticeable to me.

Hans's Icon or rather the Security station symbol blinked in the second tier, another thing I wanted to be fixed. While standard layout delegated ship internal security to second tier during Battle stations, I wanted my bridge officers on the priority tier. I blinked active."Hans?"

"Captain, you not going to believe me. We know several of the prisoners, first and foremost Meateater and Lia Bassett."

"Rotting Fangsnapper dung! I thought we heard the last of them. Wasn't that Lia thug frozen to my command chair the last time I saw her?"

Narth answered."She is more Shiss than human and cold-blooded. She survived the freezing and we put her in stasis with the rest."

I cursed again and said."Shaka, drop us at a good light-hour distance and set us to drift."

--""--

Meateater now knew this wasn't a regular prisoner transport, but a purpose converted freighter. I did not have robots and only six Ultra Marines. The marines were neutralized, thanks to the intruder containment equipment. And now he found out, how Lia was able to do all this. She was joined by the beardless Kermac and six tough looking mercenaries, with strangely colorful battle suits.

The Kermac so he learned was an excellent listener and found out all sorts of little secrets and loopholes. The Union was not run by Admirals or the Assembly, but by bureaucrats. He had learned many lessons from the former logistics admiral.

The one holdout on the ship's bridge was a Takkian. The being wasn't bothered by the poison gas that killed the rest of the bridge crew before they even knew something was wrong.

Well, that cursed silicone being wasn't immune to TKU blasts. The prisoners did not hold back and showed no mercy. They were convicted and sentenced already.

Lia had liberated many of her crew and they were now manning the duty stations. The Meteor freighter was not the fastest ship, unlike the older but well-armed mercenary destroyer. A genuine Union fleet surplus unit and a real Merrimac class.

While it had its TL Cannons and Loki torpedoes removed, it retained its main weapon system, the MALS. The destroyer had its transponder turned off, otherwise, it would have been identified as the Charlie Rivel, one of the eight ships properly registered to the Harlequin Solution Provider Company.

Chucky Harlequin, a high ranking Luitenant in the infamous but as of now still legal mercenary company was a little nervous. The fee for this caper was astronomical but has been paid in full, but if it would come to light that the Harlequins were involved, the company would lose its license and everyone associated hunted by Union police. Chucky was actually a Union Citizen. That he belonged to the less than one percent of the population and actively committing crimes, more or less his entire life was not something that bothered him too much.

He whispered. "Lia, your family paid not enough for us to linger on. Let's go!"

--""--

"There it is, the Meteor." Mao said."She's just accelerating for Threshold speed."

I saw the same scanner data and said more to myself than anyone in particular."What are the chances that we are running into these mangy Fangsnappers again?"

Narth responded never the less."Given the fact that they all were originally delivered to Richter IV, that the closest Union court is at Versipax which is in this region and the average time it takes our legal system to process that many pirates; that we are on our way to Richter IV using the most common route; it is actually not unlikely. That they managed to overwhelm the crew and hijack the ship at the same time we are within the vicinity is quite astronomical, however."

Fivcheer said."I can not detect any crew alive and there is a heated argument among the prisoners as where to go."

"Mao put a micro load into their drive. Hans, TheOther, Xon, Mr. Roghor you are with me, prepare for boarding action."

Dusty complained."What about me?"

"I thought you want to be a medic?"

"I am still part of the Tigershark crew, Captain." He added quietly."At least I hope."

"For a huge stellar dust golem, you sure know how to push my buttons. Get suited up or not and come."

Tyron said."Captain, my true purpose has not changed and it is the reason I requested to be assigned to this ship."

"I was thinking about wearing a heavy destroyer suit, but I think I will be safer with you."

Narth took the command seat."Now the role of the XO falls on me, would it not be better to wait for other units to arrive. Six against 182 armed and angry convicts."

"My associates count for at least ten each. No worries, by the time the rest appears I like this to be wrapped up and we are on our way to Richter 4."

--""--

The fight was short but quite intense, the rebellious prisoners did not give up for anything and for all sense and purpose I could not really blame them. If captured, charges of murder would be added. even those who did not face the death penalty before would face it now.

The Meteor was a sizeable ship, but with Fivcheer and with Suit's sensors we were sure we got them all. Yet neither Meateater nor Lia were among the dead or the few we managed to capture alive.

Fivcheer said."They left, less than twenty minutes ago. She, the Oghr and a Kermac left in another ship just moments before we arrived."

I used my wrist-com."Narth there was a ship just moments ago, find its trail!"

--""--

The USS Thirteen-Yellow dropped out of Quasi-space and close to the drifting Meteor freighter. She was a new Arthur class battleship, just like the USS Ragnarsson, currently the flagship of the Yellow battle group cluster of the famous 13th fleet. While the 13th under the command of Admiral Woodbun Foragund had a stellar reputation, the yellow battle group cluster traditionally reserved for reserves, repairs and upgrades were under the command of Rear Admiral Goronzo, secretly nicknamed the Prick.

He pointed at the also drifting Union destroyer. "Communications, hail me that thing. It has neither a proper registration nor name."

"Communication link established, Sir. You are talking to Luitenant Narth." The Communications Officer, a Blue responded to Goronzo's order.

"What foolishness is this?" He blustered right into the open channel."I expected to be connected to the Captain of that ship, whatever it is."

"This is factually incorrect, Rear Admiral lower half Goronzo. You asked your Communications officer to be contacted with this ship the TS01-Apparition. I am Luitenant Narth."

"Where is your CO?"

"Aboard the Meteor freighter, Rear Admiral lower half, Sir."

"The captain left the ship for a hostile environment, who is the Captain?"

"We are under the command of Captain Erica Olafson. Rear Admiral lower half, sir."

His Security officer ran the name TS01-Apparition against the Fleet Database and shrugged."There is no  TS01-Apparition registered. According to this, Captain Olafson left Arsenal IV in D 60."

"Send Marines! Secure both ships."

He reopened the channel."Lt. Narth, I am hereby placing you and every one of this unknown ship under arrest until we can establish just what your involvement into this prison escape is."

--""--

"You are what?" I yelled into my wrist com.

"You are under arrest, we have strong indications that you are not who you say you are. I am sending Marines. Resist, oh please resist. I haven't destroyed anything lately."

"You call Admiral McElligott this instant. A group of known criminals is escaping right now."

He simply disconnected.

"Elfi, patch me through to McElligott."

There was no answer.

Xon spread his arms, still holding a limb prisoner by a leg."This can't be for real!"

The arriving marines were his answer. The marines weren't too gentle, especially since they had found the dead Ultra Marines. I protested and was hit by an augmented fist."Shut up, this is the end of the line for you, marine murdering bitch!"

"I have an order chip and a command officer key."

"You have whatever the captain or CID want's to see. I want you to shut up."

Two Petharian Marines manhandled TheOther."Sarge, we got a genuine Y'All, a Togar and a grey Nul."

I said."Last chance. I am a Union Officer and Union Citizen. I have an active MITI and CITI..."

A wrist com chirped and Goronzo's voice was heard."What is the hold-up? I want to report to Fleet command."

"Sir, this female claiming to be a Union Captain is resisting arrest."

"Take them to the brig. Let CID sort it out."

Commander Kilitz, the XO knew he was walking on thin ice and most likely faced serious reprimands but he said into the open channel."Sir, she had that right. Whatever ship that is, it has genuine Union fleet transponders."

"You will regret this Commander! Marines follow your orders."

--""--

"And I apprehended a very suspicious character, claiming to be Captain Erica Olafson. The real one left Arsenal IV in a D-60, four days ago."

Goronzo was so proud of his report, delivering it directly to the legendary Admiral of the Fleet."It should be mentioned to Admiral W. Foragund that I was able to secure the prison transport. I am certain he will remember that BGC Red has a vacant..."

McElligott facepalmed himself and did not uncover his face as he said."Admiral Goronzo, where is Captain Olafson?"

"She is in my brig, Sir."

"I want to talk to her right now. You didn't even let her identify herself?"

"There was no need, Sir. CID or NAVINT will do that, she managed to steal some sort of ship."

McElligott whispered. "I will personally sit in on your court-martial and by Saint George, I will personally pull the handle."

The Admiral command overwrite activated the Intership aboard the USS Thirteen-Yellow."Commander Kilitz you are as of now the Acting captain. Place Admiral Goronzo under arrest and by God get me Captain Olafson on the horn."

Admiral Goronzo was flabbergasted."Sir, this is highly irregular and I demand..."

"Acting Captain Kilitz, if Goronzo isn't in custody within five seconds you have my direct orders to use any force necessary to restore proper command order aboard your ship."

--""--

I was fired up and about as angry as I ever was. The dark entity in myself stirred and I could feel my ring."This is the fourth time! This time I was not undercover not pretending to be a pirate. I was acting on your orders and responded to prisoner hijacking. I am so sick of these self-important, rubbernecking arseholes. The next time I run into an Admiral Swybar or Goronzo, I am not going to be stopped!"

"I am 3000 years old and I do not know what to say. All this Project Fish equipment is so secret that we designated the Apparition as a D-60."

"This does not explain the conduct of Goronzo, he boarded another Union vessel. On his orders, my crew was manhandled. I was hit and...I had enough! I quit and tomorrow you find me and my crew before the Assembly."

"Captain Olafson, Erica. I can do nothing but apologize." He groaned."His timing is impeccable. well, maybe he can help me."

The two-way call became a three-way."Stahl appeared with a grin."I just heard about the APB in that region, I have a case of beer on a wager with the spooky lady of Richter 4 that our special girl responded, did she?"

McElligott sighed."She did!" He then told the Eternal Warrior what occurred.

Stahl lost his grin."She is right about one thing, Old Highlander. While we purging the fleet of Worm agents, we need to re-evaluate every frikking command officer, we have Nelson II now."

Richard, she is right here, and I need your advice. What are we going to do?"

"We?" Richard sighed. "Captain Olafson, I am just reading about the details of that prisoner thing. The clever ways they shifted prisoner numbers, making it necessary to use a freighter." He scratched his chin."Between you and me girl, this is high-level clandestine work and beyond my expertise. Nothing that can be solved with battleships unless the Assembly sees the light and finally declares war on those scheming Kermac."

"I am not so sure it is the Kermac, Sir. Before that brilliant example of Admiralty decided to interfere, I squeezed some information out of the ones left behind. Lia Bassett was the leading escapee and she had outside help from goons in very colorful battle suits."

"Colorful battle suits are the trademark of Nick Harlequin's Jokers."

"I am going to Richter IV get my ship and before I do anything else, I am going to find Lia Bassett, blow Bhrama Port to bits if I have to and exterminate that Joker outfit. There won't be as many stasis boxes this time."

Richard said to McElligott."There is your answer. Let her loose!"

"Aye, Captain Olafson, but remember the Bassetts are in Freespace and have done nothing criminal."

"Someone bankrolled that escape if I find out they did..."

"Then it is technically a declaration of war against the Union," Stahl said. "I am itching to shut down that rock for a long time."

"Alright, Captain. Just go and do your thing and keep us in the loop."

Stahl said."And you and I will have a conference meeting today. Then you and your secretive cabal can figure out how to fix that fleet of ours, or I will join Captain Olafson, quit and address the Assembly. This is not a threat, Old Highlander. This is a promise."

For whatever reason, Stahl's angry response made me feel good.

"Shaka, step on it. As fast as this bird goes, I want to be at Richter as soon as possible. I am done playing nice."