Mao grinned, Part III GC 10

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 De Noirs,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 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.”

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Mao's approach worked but not before the strangers released a few of their missiles. Both pirate ships were the target and without shields they were defenseless and both ships were destroyed, before we could board them. Two hours later I had reached what must have been the Alien ships bridge. Our tech stop and paralysators have worked like a charm this time, everyone was asleep and and none of the alien ships equipment worked. Har-Hi stood beside me and said. “Don't you think they look like Terran cattle?” He pushed a sleeping alien aside who was still floating, as there was no Artificial gravitation either.” Now as he said it I had to agree, and I remembered the large feedlots on Wichita Planet and the endless herds of cows.”Yes, there is a resemblance.” Shea pointing at a large alien strapped to the command chair. He was wearing some sort of colorful harness with lots of gold and a cape like mantle. Otherwise he was his furry self and she said. “At least we can be certain he is male.” I gave her a side look and said. “And you noticed that huge thing right away.” “A pure scientific observation and conclusion of evaluating a visual examination.” “Yes I would have put it exactly the same way. I think they haven't invented pants or modesty .” Narth appeared next to me and also looked at the being in the central chair and then at Shea. “How can you determine he is male by visual inspection alone? This being is not registered on GalNet.” Shea pointed at the being. “They appear to be Carbon based life forms, and have physiological similarities to other mammalian species. The appendix like organic feature so dominantly featured between the beings legs, make me very confident that he is indeed male.” Har-Hi had strange grin on his face as he said .”You identify as a male Narth right? Don't you have something like that as well?” I held up my hands. “Here we are on the bridge of an alien species we just boarded, and what is it my Senior staff is discussing?” I shook my head in a over acting theatrical manner then said. “ Mr. Narth make sure we contain all Kermac before they have a chance to come around. Mr. Hi coordinate with our Security Officer and confine and secure the crew of this vessel; and you Ms Schwartz. I like to read a detailed assessment on their technology.” They confirmed my orders, but had a hard time to keep my amusement out of my voice as I saw Narth look down on himself saying. “Yes I was supposed to emulate a human male and accessing physiological data I just realized that the corporal shell I was given, is faulty and inadequate equipped.” Har-Hi put his hand on Narth's shoulder as they walked out. “Next time you go to your Narth place, that is something they need to fix. “ I missed Narth's reply as Circuit who was working on the ships systems turned and said. “Sorry Captain their tech is very primitive, simple binary circuits, digital stuff and not well shielded. Our Tech stop melted most of it.” “Can we hook up something of ours? If life support does not come back on soon, they won't survive.” I said to him and pulled a floating Kermac on his foot down so I could examine him closer. “ “I am replicating nanites as fast as I can, so we can restore basic life support. In terms of Computronics they are not Tech Level seven, more like five or six at most. Quite interesting solutions but...” “Do we have to evacuate them before life support conditions deteriorate and become life threatening to them?” Circuit shrugged his shoulders. “ Hard to say, but maybe 3-4 hours, before temperatures drop to far. Their hull has a sufficient layer of lead to reduce radiation, but not completely opaque to ionizing radiation like Union Hulls.” “Well it gives me a little time to think what I should do with them.” Fective, the Attikan Marine and a good friend appeared from one of the access doors and stomped in his camouflaged battle suit across the deck. “Captain, the Golden and I have completed the survey of the pirate ship wrecks. There is not all that much left, but we secured nineteen survivors who managed to jettison or close their suits in time and being far enough of the explosion centers. We secured the survivors in Stasis boxes and a few boxes of loot.” “Thank you, Lt. Fective. “Now please get every available hand over here and help Mr. Narth and Mr. Hi and fine tooth comb this ship. I want every Kermac in PSI Shielded Zero Stasis with Marine guards and robots watching them, if they are so much as twitch, you have the authority to eliminate. I really don't trust them.” Fective nodded inside his suit. “We don't have much exposure to the Kermac at the LMC, but I went to Union school of course and I never heard much good about them.” I held up my hand showing two fingers. “I like Shiss, Pertharians, Klack and even Y'All. I am the most un-biased Norse ever to step of Nilfeheim. I have Elly friends, got squiggled by Garbinis, get hugs from Archa and trust our Shail. I even did the spooky thing with a Narth, but there are two species my spotted friend I do not trust: Kermac and Thaurans. We are deep in Freespace and what do we find Kermac’s agitating a species of cows and very large squirrels. They have no business here in Freespace in the first place.” Shea looked up and smirked. “Well technically we don't either, but I agree with you on the rest.” With an elegant move Warner the Holdian pushed himself off a panel he was working at and floated before me. “Those are not squirrels, Captain. I don't know who those big things are but what you call Squirrels are Dolbarians. They have evolved from a once lost Diobane colony and had the distinct fortune that their three planets and 2 systems were on the side of the Galactic Council during the last treaty conference.” “I stand corrected then Mr. Warner. I must confess I am an expert, as we don't have any Squirrels on Nilfeheim, but I remember seeing a similar kind in the forests of Green Eden, but how are we doing on the ship's systems? If we can get their life support going, or we may have to move the entire crew of this big ship.” The little Holdian sighed. “As Lt. Circuit said, our tech stop fried whatever electronic systems they had and having a Micro load detonate in their computer core made a real mess of their mainframe.” The Holdian re enacted the explosion with a big gesture and was quite successful. “Give us three weeks and the original construction manuals and we might get them working again.” I sighed with a smile. “Then I better don't keep you from your work.” He chirped and moved back to the open panel. Shea said. “I think we need another Paralysator sweep, I can detect their neural activity picking up.” I blinked at my Comm link and said. “Har -Hi how far along are we containing the crew?” “This bucket they call a space ship had more than 600 crew members, thankfully our biosensors have no problem finding them. Narth thinks we got them all except for the ones on the bridge, confined in a cargo hold. We also found 85 casualties.” “All right then, now all that is left to do is talk to them and figure out what to do.” To Shea I said. “Let them come around, I need more information so I can decide.” It didn't take long and what I assumed was the leader of the aliens recovered from the Paralysator effect. He was still strapped into his command chair. His first impulse was to reach for a weapon as he saw us, but he stopped as he stared into four TKU muzzles at the same time. I am sure however it wasn't the guns but TheOther holding them that made him think otherwise and freeze in his move. He said something with a loud voluminous voice I did not understand. Shea spoke to him in Kermac and he nodded but said something in a language I did not understand. She begun with First Contact procedures and her PDD projected simple dots. First one then two then three. The bovine looking alien understood and responded with guttural sounds. She made fast progress. He made a snorting surprised and somewhat frightened sound as Narth appeared next to me and I felt sorry for the Alien leader. He had his ship invaded saw a real Y'All with guns and now a shrouded Narth appear from thin air. Narth spoke to me on our silent mental connection. “The Kermac are stripped of all devices and sleep in Zero Stasis and the being before you is a Xandrao. They know of the Togar and the Jooltar but have never heard of the Union, the Shiss or the Nul. From what I gather they are on their way to visit Kermac Prime to discuss Galactic Council membership.” “Why aren't they using their usual Psi tricks on them?” “I do not know for certain, but since I had to probe quite forcefully to get into the Xandrao mind, a certain natural resistance to Psionics might be the reason.” Shea said. “He understands some Kermac, but they used translators of their now defunct shipboard systems. I started Language analysis but SHIP was faster, she downloaded the language data from one of the Kermac Beards. You should now be able to talk to them.” I turned to address the alien leader. “I am Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak, we are an independent group of beings seeking opportunities. Your ship was severely damaged in the altercation and lost all electronics. While my Chief Engineer tries to patch rudimentary life support functions, we still might have to evacuate your vessel. Your crew is for the moment secured but relatively safe.” He listened to me and I was sure he understood so I continued. “I wanted to spare you newcomers to this side of the galaxy, but once learned you are sympathizers and thralls of the cursed Kermac, I am no longer so inclined. From you I want to know what your plans were and what kind of scheme you and the Kermac have cooked up to cause mischief and mayhem.” The Xandrao snorted angrily but tried to keep his dignity and said with his loud booming voice, “I am Shipmaster Noldra Dorrx and this is the First Ship of the Emperor. We are on a mission of diplomatic importance. I will not declare anything else to a stinking pirate, who form the looks of it is a disgusting female. Not that your race seems to have much redeeming features, but go away female and find me a male and I might talk to him.” I got closer and put my finger on his wide snout. “You talk to me, or you talk to no one ever again.” “You are only tough because I am restrained and you hide behind the guns of your four armed terror. You would never stand a chance against a Xandrao male, no one does. Not even that four armed beast.” Just then Artificial gravitation came back on and some of the ships own lights came on. “Go ahead Xandrao, chose the weapons. Right here and now!” “You are a weak female, hiding in armor and behind muscle of your male slaves. Your are a cowardly pirate. Go ahead tell your males to kill me.” Har-Hi sighed loudly. “Captain, this is not...” But I had already given the suit the Emergency release command and the battle disintegrated into assembly parts and basically spit me out. The Xandrao slapped on the restrain release that now worked again and lunged forward. He was almost as big as Hans and had his hands immediately on me. Instead of evading him, I grabbed him by the grabbing wrist and tried to execute an Aikido move that served me so well so long ago against the lumbering Y'All. It did not work as I hoped, the Xandrao was so I had to realize, a trained fighter and not a brawler. His other fist grabbed me by the throat. And yes once again I was in trouble and it was trouble I could have easily avoided, I certainly did not act like a Union Captain should act, and this was not how first Contact was made. He was squeezing the very life out of me and yet I found enough air to gargle. “Stay where you are!” To Har Hi. I got angry, not so much about the Xandrao but about myself, but the bovine like alien was really starting to piss me off. He had lifted me of the ground, I was holding to his massive arm with one hand and stabbed my fingers into his right eye. He screamed in pain and as I feigned a second stab against his other he instinctively raised his arms to deflect my second attempt, to do that he let me go and I dropped, ignoring the throbbing pain of my squeezed neck and kicked upward as hard as I could and kicked him at exactly that exposed feature of his anatomy we had talked about earlier. He was as it appeared quite sensitive and groaned in an ear shattering volume, He wiped his big arm through the air, a powerful swing, but far of target. An axe handle blow of mine across his wide snout however found its target. All my attacks had been done with all my strength, but had done little more than perhaps dazzle the Alien. He lowered his head and swiped his sharp horns through the air, a perfectly natural move if you had horns like that, but unexpected. I managed to avoid his grabbing arms and the head swing that brought his horns into play, by perhaps a hairs width. In all this I could have ended it easily. Narth was here and so was Har Hi, not to mention TheOther all would have taken was a call for help. A blow of my fist against his forehead, made me realize just how hard his skull was. It felt like punching a battle ship hull. Yet I had to end this somehow on my own. The head swung the other side while the Xandrao drove me backwards as I tried to avoid his horn attacks and his fast grabbing attempts. He was fast, fast enough to prevent me from really getting away. He was mad and full of frustration and it was apparent that his kind trained hand to hand combat, perhaps almost as religiously as the Union Marines did. There was not much room left to back up, the head swung again...his big hands swinging with powerful blows. The only thing saving me was the wonderful agility my altered body seemed to have. Then I acted on an instinct, grabbed the swinging horns just as his neck was at the outmost swing and I added all my body weight to twist it further. I heard a crunching sound and the big alien groaned, even the big Xandrao had to follow physics and his big body had to follow the momentum and he crashed hard on the deck plating almost burying me, I let go and rolled away in the last moment. The big alien was making strange gurgling sounds and did not try to get up. I came shaking to my feet and with a coarse, laboring voice I rasped.”Get up!” Har Hi rushed by. “Captain, let it be, you broke the Xandrao's neck. He is dying.” I wiped the sweat of my brow and tried to straighten myself into a more dignified position. “Call Cateria..” Only now I noticed the bleeding cut along my left arm.” Har Hi shook his head. “Narth get the Captain to sickbay.”

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