Adventures of the USS Tigershark, 11

Chapter 11: Not a Simple Stop

About ten armed Trontigmakader entered the tavern, led by an insectoid in a flashy bright blue and white armor of some kind.

“The four Masters declared martial law until we can determine who released the Cleanser beasts from their hold. This place has been identified as a meeting place of the Discrepant Element. You are all considered potential collaborators, perhaps even supplying weapons to these criminals. You are...”

A high pitched humming voice screamed from somewhere else. “The Four must fall so the Fifth can rise again !”

The voice was immediately followed by a laser blast burning a hole in the head of one of the soldiers.

Again chaos ensued this time with soldier firing at what appeared to be rebels of some kind and the pirates caught in the crossfire.

The Trontigmakader soldiers fired at anything that moved., another group of locals that had suddenly appeared behind the bar returned fire.

The pirates, three of Lia’s and two of Sandovahl’s men had already been hit, and most likely fatal. The rest had scrambled for cover and returned fire.

In all this chaos and confusion, the disguised Union officers and crew members acted according to their training. There was no panic, no erratic behavior.

But it was Har-Hi who was not sure what he should do. In this moment he realized just how much they all, including him, relied on the Captain. He had found cover behind a overturned table and wanted to call her, but he wanted to tell her what he was about to do. The most logical approach was to return to the ship and stay out of whatever local affair this was. However, the spy drone he had launched showed more troops approaching along with alien battle robots and several tanks with large cannons. Erica would risk planetary war and of course, abandon the quest to save them.

Despite being well armed there was no chance they could fight their way through a full infantry assault force. He could, of course, ask Erica to send landing tanks and marines, but that would not only blow their cover but in effect start a war against the Trontigmakader.

He could also fight the rebels or whatever those civilians were, but that too was in effect a declaration of war and there was no guarantee the troops would stop and not arrest or kill them anyway.

The other pirates had not put any restrains on their actions and joined the firefight.

The uniformed troops had been reduced to eight. The pirate weapons were much more powerful then the laser weapons the locals used and easily defeated the troops armor.

Neither the soldiers nor the rebels used shields, but several of the pirates had shield belts, as of course, his disguised marines had. The two Petharians had formed a living cover where the rest of the Tigershark was taking cover.

So far none of his crew had fired, waiting for his commands.

Oh Erica, what should I do and tell you? Every fiber in his body wanted to cut loose and show those two-legged bugs what it meant to stand against a Dai Warrior

Shea rendered with stoic coolness first aid to the wounded, including the Zoran warrior and ignored the laser blasts and chaos around her.

One of the civilian Trontigmakader darted across the room, evading two potshots of the remaining troopers and dove right next to Har Hi and he hummed. “Fight with us if you want to live, there are more many more troops on the way and they will level this place with heavy weapons. They will make no prisoners and do not care who you are.”

The surviving troopers scrambled to the door. Har-Hi was certain there would be a barrage of heavy weapons any moment now.

“So be it, we fight but we need a strategy and I need to inform the captain.”

Derek at one of the windows said. “They are bringing robots and tanks.”

“Come with us and we show you the same way we came in, to escape.”

Har-Hi made up his mind. “Alright!”

He signaled his friends to follow the Insectoid while he and Sandovahl covered their retreat behind the bar.

There was an open trap door.

Har-Hi watched the retina image of his spy drone as the tanks assumed firing position, turrets turning...

He was the last diving head first into the hole as the tavern above them was obliterated by ground shaking explosions.

He caught the foothold of a crude ladder attached to the walls of this deep shaft, as a shower of debris pelted his back and a burning hot wave of air singed his exposed skin.

Ignoring the pain he climbed as fast as he could further down.

Along with more rocks, pieces of concrete he dropped into a narrow and dark corridor.

A Petharian grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him past him as a man-sized piece of debris came crashing down, impacting with a shattering crash into the Petharian.

The massive warrior brushed dust and some dark colored blood from his head. “Sorry for manhandling you like this, but my head had a better chance against that piece of crete than yours.”

“You saved my life.Are you injured?”

“Not much more than as during our last Steel container kick match, Sir. I have a strong feeling our Captain will be very jealous.”

Har-Hi and the Petharian scrambled to catch up with the others and all he could say, “Jealous?”

“She missing all this action, Sir.”

Har-Hi grinned, “You got a point, there. I better call her now.”

–-””--

It was the first time I was actually angry at Har-Hi. He should have called the ship at the first sign of trouble and let me decide what course of action we are to take. He just finished his report and I was tempted to reprimand him right there and then, but that was not me. He was my first mate and made decisions and I would do my best to help him and deal with the situation. I still planned to talk to him about it in private.

“I send Narth and Ms.Noleii to get you home. The situation smacks just like our last big problem, rebels against the government.”

“We can’t get our right away. We are with other pirates and with the rebels. I try to separate us as soon as possible.”

Red Dragon called next. He was, despite his mask quite obviously agitated and said.”I lost seven of my crew to an attack of vicious beasts and Three were arrested by local authorities. The Celestial Nightmare lost four. I hear Lia, Sandovahl and some of your guys are on the run. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid.”

“I am unable to go give you any answers. I haven’t left the ship since we met.”

He grunted something.”Alright, I try to find out what is going on. Stay put!”

“Our mutual support arrangement died a while ago, I am in this now for business reasons alone. Members of my crew are involved and in danger. I am not sitting back and let things happen.”

“I call you back.”

I rushed to the bridge and said.”SHIP, Battlestations. All available senior officers to the bridge.”

“Aye captain.”

As I reached my command seat, Elfi sat down behind her communications console and said.”Captain, I have Lt. Bergdorf standing by.”

“Put him on.”

“Captain, the Red Dragon did not leave his ship, but there is activity underneath the Uhuin. Request permission to investigate.”

“Permission granted but stay at a safe distance, there is a situation here, I need to sort out.”

He acknowledged and I asked.”Anything on the official channels of what is going on?”

Elfi put her headset on and checked her readouts.”TheOther is in the comm-lab right now, to work on a detailed report, Captain. It appears there is a rebel or dissident group advocating the reinstalment of the fifth. It is not clear yet what policy or changes the fifth represents. The officials believe it was the Discrepant Element who released a herd of so-called Cleanser Beasts.”

Narth had taken Shea’s position. “There is no Union reference regarding this life form.”

Sobody said.”It is an extremely dangerous lifeform. It has been breed by the Wutohf as a very bloody means of crowd control and similar situations. The Cleanser Beasts, unfortunately, are a big commercial success for the Wutohf and traded all over the galaxy.”

Elfi nodded and continued. “These Cleanser Beasts tore through a local market and bar district. Other news reports that a tavern in the same district has been destroyed by heavy ordinance. The authorities claim the situation is now under control and the Cleanser Beasts either contained or killed.”

Mao was next.”Captain, there is a considerable force of armed surface ships and fliers approaching from the east and another one from the open sea.”

This was getting more and more convoluted, and I still had no idea what was really going on.

Part of me wanted to have Narth teleport me to Har-Hi, but then the situation was swiftly escalating and my place was on the bridge.

Har-Hi, his shipmates and the other pirates had followed the Trontigmakader of the Discrepant Element, through a labyrinth of reeking sewers and what appeared to be a network of flood control tunnels.

The natives rushed them on and urged them to keep up a fast pace.

One of them hummed.”If the Enforcers of the Four find out we escaped, they open the tide gates and flood the sewers and flood pipes.”

So they slushed through reeking liquids for quite a while and must have covered several clicks before they emerged on the surface. The sewer pipe had become an open runoff. The Trontigmakader leading the sizeable group up the steep sides.

Har-Hi was glad they finally reached fresh air. He looked around to situate himself. Behind them was the tunnel entrance to the sewers and beyond that the skyline of the alien city. The filthy water coming out of that tunnel trickled down the shoreline and into the river delta. From here he could see the watery spaceport and the spaceships in the distance. He instantly recognized the shape of the Silver Streak, even though the local sun was setting and nightfall was fast approaching. He remembered that this world had no moons, so it most likely would be a very dark night.

The spaceport and the ships were the focus of two large military forces. Thousands of fliers, boats with spotlights. His sharp eyes identified infantry troops and robots on barges and boats.

There was no way he could see approaching the ships without being seen. Narth and Brana could teleport them of course, but exposing their psionic talented assets to the other pirates was not something the captain or he wanted to risk at that time. If one of the pirates recognized Brana as a Delicate or the Narth, all pretense was out the door.

The other side of the path they were on became a steep hillside with many primitive houses glued to its side.

That this was the city part of the poorest was glaringly obvious. There weren’t many lights and the businesses here did not cater to foreigners. The places were dirty and in need of much repair.

The path they were on was narrow and meandered between the buildings and the steep hills at one side and the shoreline on the other.

Their guide was still rushing them on.”This is a large group of many non-Trontigmakader, please rush on before they use their tele viewers to scan the coastline.”

It appeared they managed to remain unnoticed by the authorities and they reached what Har-Hi thought of as some sort of abandoned fish processing plant.

It was basically just a big one-room building sitting on stilts on the shore side halfway over the water.

A foul odor of brackish water and rotting fish hung in the thin metal wall building. There were long tables with some kind of conveyor system in the middle. All looked old, very used and now abandoned. The light which had been turned on as they entered had a reddish glow and Har-Hi suspected the light was not only in the visual range but had a strong infrared component.

“I think this is a good place and time for you to explain what is going on and why we are involved and here?” Har-Hi said.

Sandovahl, Lemakr, and Lia agreed and actually placed themselves next to Har-Hi.

Har-Hi could not differentiate the Trontigmakader, there were eighteen of them. To him, they looked as alike as X101s of the same series. Since they did not use their mouths to speak, he wasn’t even sure which one was talking.

“Let us thank you for fighting for and with us at Hugnast’s Welcome. The troops of the Four were winning. Without you, we face the Death-Master either in judgment or in the hereafter.”

Sandovahl actually said what Har-Hi wanted to say.

“We didn’t have much choice, now did we? You started shouting political slogans and killed a soldier. That they started shooting and included us as targets is something I actually understand. Now I think you keep telling us what is going on. I for one like to return to my ship and leave this crap world behind. I rather set up our refinery again then getting fuel here.”

One of the Trontigmakader, most likely the same responded. The humming sound that was part of every word somehow took on a forceful fanatical tone. “The Four masters oppress the people and incarcerated the fifth. The Fifth is our legitime ruler and was always aided by the Four. They disposed him and took over the rule themselves. We fight to restore the rule of the Fifth.”

Derek Simmons actually groaned. “We just came from Itheamh, apparently the same story repeats itself all over again.”

Har-Hi shook his head.”But not with us taking part.”

Lia featured a bandage on her right arm. Har-Hi had not noticed her being wounded but then almost no one got out of that Tavern without an injury so some kind. The Zarin had been carried by crewmates of his was in bad shape and needed real medical attention soon.

Lia was visibly agitated as well and she said.”It all started with those beasts attacking. What was that all about?”

One of the insectlike Trontigmakader stepped a little forward and looked at his associates, also revealing himself as the speaker.”That is something we can not understand either. We stole fifty Cleanser beasts in containment cages from the Four and planned to set them free during the Festival of Hatching tomorrow. None of us can explain how they all got loose. Someone must have opened the cages.”

Har-Hi felt he made the wrong choice, following these rebels. “They just admitted planning a terror act with the aim to cause death and mayhem during some kind of public event. That was one thing the rebels on Itheamh did not do, they only fought the Drak and refrained from Terror acts.

Aloud he said.”What the case might be, we are not going to be involved. Let us find ways to get back to our ships.”

The Trontigmakader made a further step forward and said.”We need you! Your weapons are much more advanced than ours and form what we have seen you command these humongous warriors, able to kill Cleanser Beasts with their bare hands. With you, on our side, we sweep the Four aside and restore the Rule of the Fifth!”

The big Togar captain growled.”You fight on your own. I see no profit in this and no benefit. I am going back to my ship right now and I pity the fools who try to stop me.”

A large roll gate and every other opening in the building opened as if by command and at least fifty Trontigmakader stormed in. More of them remained at hatches and windows aiming shoulder carried weapons at the pirates.

The speaker of the group said.”Then we are those fools. We hoped you would fight for us, but you are not of this world and do not understand. Your weapons and equipment will help our cause. Your ships will send us more in exchange for you.”

Fivcheer came to the bridge.”We all focused on the Red Dragon and overlooked the Puup, Captain. I am terribly sorry.”

I was standing by the Nav Tank, unable to find the state of mind to sit down watching the approach of the two armed forces. “You are sorry for what, Mr. Fivcheer?”

“The Puup, Captain Brathering, Ma’am”

“What about him?”

“He and a group of his crew left the Uhuin underwater and it appears they are the cause for the mayhem. The Puup are declared enemies of the Trontigmakader. The Puup’s ship is a Kermac T cruiser and in terms of Psionics well shielded.”

He got my attention, but I still didn’t see what he was trying to tell me.”This is a fact I have not considered either, but what does this have to do with all of this?”

“The Puup is acting on behalf of his government. He is agitating both sides and is supplying weapons to both sides. His goal is to destabilize Cosporus and prepare the ground for a Puup attack that is planned for years. He is a pirate Upward but loyal to his society.”

The way he pronounced Puup, in all the serious situation made me giggle. “A puup attack, eh? Let’s hope they don’t have diarrhea.”

“Captain?”

“Never mind. I should chastise myself for having these childish gutter thoughts and focus on the matter at hand.”

I finally had an idea of what was going on and went to my chair and sat down.”Someone knows who these two groups are that are about to meet with us in the center?”

It was Elfi again.”Yes, captain, TheOther made much progress in analyzing their communications and with SHIPs help decrypted it too.”

She swiped over a lit contact and activated an info bubble. While she was reading the floating texts she said.”The group coming from the city are Troops of the Four and represent the official government. The military forces coming from ocean side are the troops of a powerful landlord or noble. It is not sure how they will react. It appears the guy is on the fence between being loyal to the Four and supporting the Fifth.”

She interrupted her own report.”Captain, we being hailed by the Trontigmakader on official channels.”

I nodded and put on my mask. Not that thought the local insects could tell the difference, but I am sure the pirates and of course the Red Dragon was watching.

One of the insectoids appeared on the screen and in its humming voice it declared.”This is the voice of the Four Masters. Your privileges to visit the city have been revoked, complete your refueling and leave our world. It appears some or all of you are involved with local subversive elements and terrorists!”

He added before any of us could reply.”You have one day. After that, we will seize your ships.”

The Red Dragon responded for us.”Now listen, we came here traveling from the Upward sector of this galaxy and have never been here before. We do not know and we do not care about local politics, but I refuse to be threatened. I am the Red Dragon and once my associates are ready we will leave. You can keep whatever fuel you have for sale. There are other ports of call I am certain.”

The speaker of the Trontigmakader did not respond but cut the transmission.

I called the Red Dragon.”Have you checked on your friend the Puup lately, you know they are enemies of these Insects and basically at war.”

He wanted to dismiss it, I could tell. However, he stopped before he really said something and listened to someone on his bridge. Then he cursed and growled.”That worthless louse! I pluck his teeth...”

He too cut the transmission.

“Elfi get me Har-Hi again. I am sick of this and want them back aboard.”

Narth had retreated in one of his seclusive meditation states right after Fivcheer gave his report and only now raised his head.”Captain, there is more to this planet than the Red Dragon let on. The first clue of our actual quest is hidden here. Where ever he got the information about the Seenian depot, he also received instructions to come here and contact the Anagoge.”

“The who?”

“I do not know, who the Anagoge is, but this is an important part in this quest. The Red Dragon revealed that to his first mate and since the other ship is close enough I was able to scan all the other minds regarding any information that might reveal details about the Seenian mystery.”

Narth stated this in his usual matter of fact as if everyone else would also be able to do such a thing. He then said.”Fivcheer and you would be able to do exactly this as well. Fivcheer is a much better long-range telepath than I am but it still lacks the discipline of scanning multiple minds and searching for specific information, of course, it is improving. You on the other hand ... he sighed ... you still resist the fact that you are too psionic gifted and stubbornly refuse any training.”

“Narth we do not have the time to discuss psionics or my state of mind. I much rather hear more details regarding that Anagoge. If I remember my greek correctly it is a word that suggests an uplift or something like that in a mystical or spiritual fashion.”

“I am using the most appropriate standard lingu term. There is a person or contact of sorts somewhere on this world with information regarding the Seenian depot. This contact may be found by accessing the Hidden Hill, which in turn can be found on a map that supposedly can be located in the Sealed Library of the Fifth.”

I pressed my lips together.”That darn quest is sure becoming more complicated by the day.” To Elfi I said.”Raise Har-Hi for me.”

“Captain, he is receiving but not answering.”

Shea whispered without moving her lips too much.”Our Petahrians got shields.”

But before Har-Hi could answer Shea or the comm request from the ship and thus the captain, hell broke loose once again and within only a few hours.

The entire building was bathed in blinding white light, several laser shots hissed and sizzled holes in the heads of Trontigmakader rebels.

A strong voice told them to cease all hostilities and surrender.

While the rebels tossed their weapons and complied, a blue dressed Trontigmakader stepped in the one-room building followed by armed soldiers. This insectoid was a little taller than most, he was also clearly in charge.

“We welcome travelers to Cosporus, but we do not like trouble. This is an orderly world and you mingling with known terrorists is not a good thing.”

“I apologize for any misunderstanding but it is us who were swept up in circumstances we know nothing about and we gladly return to our ship and stay there,” Har-Hi said.

“That is a sensible offer and will be considered a gesture of good will, but you are still all under arrest and the Decider of the Death-master will decide what laws have been broken and what form punishment might be appropriate.”

“What form of punishment could be appropriate?”

“Depending the charges and the severity anything from a fine to a death sentence.”

Shea whispered.”The captain is listening in and asks you to play along for now.”

Sandovahl made a threatening step forward. “And what are the charges?”

“Causing public disturbance, potential property damage, conspiracy with a known Terrorist group for starters.”

Sandovahl changed his tone. “This is all a local affair we have no interest in. If I offer you a substantial amount of Polo coins could we not come to an agreement that does not involve an arrest?”

“Bribing a guard of the Death-master is a very serious offense. Now please surrender your weapons.”

Shea said.”If associates of ours that is not involved can we surrender our weapons to them?”

“Certainly but I would not know how the could traverse the bay, we have the ships surrounded.”

Just then Hans and TheOther appeared in the door and pushed past the fragile and insubstantial looking insect beings especially compared to these two giants who made everyone look small.

As alien the Trontigmakader was, he and his troops visibly shrunk in fear and grabbed their weapons tighter.

Har-Hi said. “These are the associates of ours, they have not been involved. We will surrender to you and Trontigmakader justice, but they take custody of our weapons and personal items as you agreed upon?”

The captain of the Trontigmakader detail first wanted to disagree, but he changed his mind very fast as he saw TheOther taking a step closer. “By the Sacred Four, has doom reached our world. Is this not a Yaaal?”

Har-Hi looked down his nose. “Indeed this is a Y’All.”

“No, I have no objection.”

Hans and TheOther collected the weapons and Hans said in a low tone. “The captain is informed and sent us. She sends word to you as to make efforts to solve this situation as smooth as possible.”

“I will try my best.”

The Trontigmakader heard it and said.”A very sensible advice of your captain indeed. After a few executions, order always returns.”

Hans said.”She is indeed a very sensible and wise captain, Insect. However if anyone of our crew gets so much as a bruise caused by anyone, be it you, your insubstantial troops, the Four Masters or the whole damn planet, you will wish not to be born.”

“Are you threatening?”

“No, I give you a fair warning.”

Twenty minutes later, stripped of all, or in Har-Hi’s case most of all weapons and items that could identify them as Union, they and the other pirates were marched with shackles out the old factory and into a waiting transport flier.

Local medics or similar personnel carried those who couldn’t walk or still unconscious out on stretchers.

ABOARD THE RED DRAGON

Swynon massaged his temples as he sat in a comfortable seat in his private quarters. Nothing worked out without complications. The entire quest at times seemed to be a fools errand and there was a growing part in him that grew tired of it. Only his burning desire for revenge made him keep the course. The only being he sort of trusted and almost considered a friend had his throat ripped out after being tortured in the cruelest fashion by this enigma called Black Velvet. True, Crimson had tried to cross her and for the second time.

The little armada had lost another member in deep space of all things. Who would have thought that there were conditions in deep space that could be harmful to a modern spaceship? He was never the most scientific person and he lacked the qualified person to operate the science console of his ship. Like all Union ships, it had extensive sensors and a well-equipped science section. Much of it he had removed. What good were labs and science sensors to a pirate?

His decision was regrettable, but then he had no one to operate and use it anyhow. A moving gravitational field of some sort, he never heard of such a thing and none of the pirates he associated with had any explanation either. The Executor fell prey to it, but the also caught Silver Streak managed to escape it. Subsequent scans could not locate the anomaly, not that he or any of the others wanted to get closer to make sure.

Fact remained that the Silver Streak survived the living planet surface and that anomaly too. He had to admit that female captain was very resourceful.

Ever since they passed by that pulsar, his mind was suddenly filled with information and memories he did not have before. It seemed there were Hypno blocks in his own mind. These blocks released information only if certain trigger events were met.

He had no idea he had to be on Cosporus before he landed. Now he knew he had to find a contact called the Anagoge. According to his regained memories, it was a guide or information source giving him important information regarding the location of the depot and how to access it.

This was the reason he warned the others to be careful and not to cause local trouble.

Of all people, it was the cursed Puup that did the opposite and caused trouble on purpose.

Ever since Black Velvet opened his eyes with her information it was easy to put the rest together. Not that he had too much information on that Brathering anyway. Where did that psychopath get his genuine Cruiser anyway? The Kermac did not sell surplus as far as he knew. Especially since it appeared the Uhuin was not demilitarized and had all the weapons and all the equipment a genuine Kermac ship of the line had available.

The Puup had started trouble and the local authorities wanted them off the planet, and that before he had a chance to locate the Sealed Library of the Fifth. As formidable as he and his small armada was, they could not take on an entire starfaring society. Even though their tech level was significantly behind. Was that library even on this planet? These cursed insects were spread over several star systems.

He called his new first mate to his quarters. He had elevated the beardless Kermac and former wizard to this position. While the Kermac was certainly not the best fighter, he was without question the smartest one among his crew and like all Kermac was a decent telepath.

He relied on his excellent Union science conditioning that shielded him from the best psionics, but he found it a very potent tool to have to control his own crew and find out what others were thinking.

For some reason, his Kermac failed to read the mind of Black Velvet but much of her crew were open books and just the average pirate scum with matching thoughts and memories.

That he could not read the Puup was explained by the fact that he used a Kermac ship, which was equipped with Kermac Psi-tech and psi-shields.

The Kermac entered his chambers and sat down in an armchair across the Thauran, who didn’t bother with his mask.

Swybin pointed towards the viewport. “What a mess Brathering got us in. What do you think will happen?”

“I am as new to this region of space as you, Dragon. I am also not sure we can stay and conduct the research you want to do, at least not with the current government. Maybe we do have to support the rebels and basically blast whatever surrounds our ships to ashes. We certainly have the firepower to do that, but I don’t know how big the local space fleet is, enough of them might even crack the Red Dragon, especially before we can reach threshold speed.”

“We must remain until I know where the Anagoge is and obtained whatever information he has.”

“Then there aren’t that much alternatives after the ultimatum ends tomorrow.”

“How did the Puup manage to get a genuine T Cruiser, do you know?”

“No, I wondered about that myself. I was sold into slavery as I told you and I am gone from the Kermac wizard towers for quite a while, but even while I was still in power and grace. There were countless schemes going on, that the Wizards of the respective ministries kept secret from each other. For all I know, the Puup could be a Kermac operative and he is taking part on this quest to find and secure the Seenian depot for Kermac Prime. If the wizards know about our quest they certainly try to obtain it, they risk war and more to gain the secret of Translocator cannons and TransDim shields.”

The former Kermac wizard stroked his scarred chin.”But the recent actions of the Puup indicate that he is not a Kermac spy, he would not act for the Puup like that and risk being there when the depot is found.”

“Maybe I just need to ask him then. He has a lot to answer for in the first place.”

Captain Brathering knew he was playing a dangerous game. He played and double-crossed the Red Dragon, was dealing with the First Wizard of the Ministry of Control and with the Puup government. But if he played it right, he would reach his declared goal of becoming the Puup Souverign.

Whenever he had this thoughts his mind wandered back in time, remembering how he got here in the first place.

Many decades ago, he was just a second mate to a famous Puup ship leader. Puup always had a competitive personality and was jealous of anyone that was ahead of him. It started with his own family members, he wanted to be more important than his siblings and even his parents. While it was not a bad thing wanting to be successful or wanting to be on top, Puup had no scruples to do it any way possible and took advantage of every possible angle. He cheated, stole, lied and even killed to get ahead of someone else.

This was the reason he became the second mate of the most powerful Puup vessel much earlier than others in similar positions.

Brathering was not satisfied with that, the First Mate was more important than him and he, in turn, was second to the Ship leader. A successful ship leader had good chances to be chosen as fleet leader. From there a few more steps and one could be the Puup Souverign.

Right at his first voyage aboard the Uicy-Jurit, destined to engage Trontigmakader units that dared to cross into Riglee system, he decided to do to make sure he would return as the First Mate.

The opportunity came while the ship was accelerating to Jump speed. Brathering had not discovered Quasi-Space or how to access it to travel and relied, like the Trontigmakader and the other space-faring societies they knew back then, on Hyperjumps. Leaping from gravity well to the next, accelerating and decelerating for days on end.

The First Mate supervised the repair of a faulty plasma conduit. The Shipmaster refused to interrupt the acceleration phase to the Jump point, as he wanted to reach Riglee in time to stop the cursed Trontigmakader from taking a foothold there.

Repairing a plasma conduit while the engines were fed by the reactors with pure energy plasma at the highest rate was perhaps the most dangerous task there was.

The techies were confident they could do it but quite nervous as the plasma streams had been exposed.

All it took was a push and the First Mate, standing on a platform he deemed safe to see the progress of the repair work, fell into the exposed plasma and with a sizzling sound dissipated into a puff of atomic smoke. The First Mate had not even time to really scream.

No one had seen him doing it, but the Techies, of course, had seen the First Mate disintegrate.

What Brathering had not anticipated was the after effects of his deed.

The plasma stream was diverted for a split second, lost containment and changed the energy output to the engines. The precise jump calculations now inaccurate, made the ship miss the jump point and instead of reaching the Riglee system, the Uicy-Jurit breached the Hyper wall.

In most cases that would have been the end of Puup’s story as the ship and its crew either converted to hyperspace energy or drifted to the end of time in Hyperspace. However the ship returned to standard space, but tens of thousand light years from its point of origin, with a burning plasma fire and a completely burned out jump drive, beyond any chance of repair.

The Uicy-Jurit had reached a region he later knew was called the Upward sector of the galaxy.

To make matters even worse, they jumped right in the middle of a space battle. Neither combatant cared about the crippled ship that just dropped out of hyperspace.

He sighed, these events took place eight years ago. Most of his shipmates had died or had been sold as slaves. He too had been a slave but was purchased by Kermac.

They made him an offer and he accepted. He became a well-funded pirate with a ship that was hard to beat, he received training and support, all he had to do was to be the ears and eyes for the Wizard of the Ministry of Control and occasionally run errands, like disposing an unconscious rival at Alvor’s Cove. Supplying the secret outpost on Netlor and so forth. Every time the MOC had business in Freespace, Brathering was the one asked. He didn’t mind, he became a successful and feared pirate. That he could get his ship repaired, serviced by experts anytime he needed it was his secret.

When he told his masters about the Red Dragon’s quest, they insisted he would go along and contact them as soon as he had a concrete lead. For this purpose, they added a genuine LRT to his crew.

But he also realized that he was going back to his old home. Returning with a state of the art ship, able to cause havoc to the most important planet of the Trontigmakader was a gift from the gods. He contacted the Puup Souverign and was greeted like a returning hero. He also received detailed instructions and contact information to a Puup operative on Cosporus.

He didn’t need the Red Dragon to find the Sealed Library as he knew where it was. The Puup winning the war, the Kermac getting the information how to find that Celtest depot and he returning home as the most celebrated hero of his kind was a very desirable outcome of things indeed.

That the things escalated a little faster than he wanted them to develop was unfortunate but still recoverable.

He went to the chamber where the LRT was and formulated a message to the Wizard of the MOC.

Har-Hi and the rest were led into a large hall with a raised desk. The sides had bleacher like benches and on it perhaps hundred Trontigmakader on each side. Crude but big and armed battle robots flanked the raised desk.

A Trontigmakader in a black suit and a scarf like piece of black fabric wound around his head sat behind that desk.

After all, pirates stood before that desk, the black dressed being said. “We don’t know who you are but we know about the Dai and we know about the Zarin. Both arrogant and troublesome, both causing much trouble and death.”

The judge stopped and touched his head. “Do I want to make an example of all of you? Yes ... I mean no.”

After this rather strange sentence, the judge said. “But I see this Dai is honorable and his associates are of the most honorable kind, no doubt. I think this Dai is a rather nice person so I say let him and his associates go.”

The judge blinked with all his eyes and said. “What did I just say? Did I ... ah yes let the Dai and his crew go. They only defended themselves against these savages and have no interest in local terrorist who tried to use them.”

A big view screen came on behind the black dressed decision maker.

Four Trontigmakader appeared on it, each in a different color robe. One golden, one blue, a red and a black robe.

They all spoke at the same time in a strange chorus. “While we do not understand the decision of the Decider, the verdict has been spoken. You may go, but you are to return to your ships and leave Cosporus within the hour you are no longer welcome. Remain and we will destroy your ships and put everyone to death, the Four have spoken.”

The screen went blank.

The guard captain said. “You have heard the words and the decision, now make haste and leave.”

One of the Tigersharks landing tanks was already waiting for them.

Inside they were greeted by Narth. “I am sorry, but the mind of the Decider was very alien and I did not anticipate the four masters to interfere.”

“That explains his strange behavior. The captain is going to rip me a new one.”

“That is the reason for my rather hasty interference, without preparing better. The situation is much more complicated than it appears.”

Chapter 12 »