Ep.#4 - "Freedom's Dawn" (The Frontiers Saga) (32 page)

“
Yes sir.
”

* * *

Deliza thought she heard something. A strange sound of some sort. It was fairly quiet in the tunnels, quiet enough that she could hear the two of them breathe as Vladimir tapped away at his data pad, but the sound kept coming. “Uh, Vladimir?” Deliza said. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That sound.”

Vladimir stopped tapping for a moment. His head came up from his data pad, his eyes darting side to side and his head cocking as he tried to locate the sound. He looked down at the floor of the tunnel next to him, at his comm-set that he had taken off and laid there. He picked it up. “It’s coming from my comm-set.” He put it on and heard voices. “It’s working again. I can hear someone talking.”

“Who is it?”

“I am not sure. I don’t recognize—” Vladimir recognized the next speaker and became excited. “Hello, hello? Can you hear me? Loki, is that you?”

“
Yeah, this is Loki. Is that you, Vlad?
”

“Da, da, da! It is me. We have been boarded, they have taken engineering and the bridge.”

“
Cheng, Weatherly. Can you go secure?
”

“Yes, of course. One moment.” Vladimir took off his comm-set and turned on the encryption before putting it back on. “Weatherly, Cheng. I have gone secure. How do you copy?”

“
I hold you same.
” His voice was tinnier and there were little chirps at the beginning and end of each transmission as a result of the software that automatically encrypted and decrypted the communications at each end. “
Do you have an ID or a force count on the enemy?
”

“Nyet… I mean, negative on both. We only saw five when they tried to take engineering. We took out three of them before escaping into the service tunnels.”

“
Copy that.
”

“Where are you? Are you on board?” Vladimir asked, his desperate need for hope evident in his voice.

“
Negative, but we’re working on it.
”

“You must act quickly,” Vladimir instructed. “We are still running on the backup fusion generator, so the ship cannot break orbit or use any weapons. But the primary antimatter reactor has already begun its auto start sequence. They will have full power in twenty minutes at the most. I believe they will try to escape and take the ship to Takara.”

“
Yeah, that’s what we figured as well.
”

“Sergeant, we cannot let that happen. Do you understand? Even if it means destroying the ship.”

“
Understood sir. Where are you now? Are you secure?
”

“Yes, Deliza and I are trapped in the service tunnels. I have managed to access the ship’s command and control network using my data pad. I am trying to find way to at least slow them down.”

“
Copy that. Keep at it. We’re putting together a strike team now. We expect to make a boarding attempt in ten or less.
”

“Can you power up the Yamaro’s rail guns? Maybe you can disable us enough to prevent their escape.”

“
No sir. We no longer have access to the Yamaro’s C&C.
”

“Why not?”

“
We were also boarded, sir. A couple dozen of the Yamaro’s crew helped us fight off the enemy, but we had heavy losses and there was a lot of damage.
” Weatherly paused a moment before continue. “
We lost Ensign Mendez, sir.
”

“
Nye mozhet bit!”
Vladimir exclaimed. After he composed himself, he muttered the only words that came to mind, “Understood.” Vladimir sighed. “Hurry, Sergeant.”

“
Yes sir.
”

Vladimir looked at Deliza. “They will come soon.” He tried to look confident, even though for the first time in as long as he could remember, he had his doubts. “Everything will be okay.”

Deliza nodded. She could see the doubt in Vladimir’s eyes but knew that he would never let anyone know that those doubts existed within him. Her father was the same way.

Chapter Nine

There were only a half dozen cells in the Yamaro’s brig, so when the Aurora’s boarding party had first taken control of the ship immediately after her surrender, her crew had been confined to the two massive cargo bays located aft and below the hangar decks on either side of the ship. The bays were more than large enough to house the nearly three hundred crewmen, and even had toilet facilities as well as plenty of food and water stored in large cargo modules. It was boring, and it was not very comfortable, but they were safe and had one another for company.

The prisoners had broken off into various groups, the most common of which was by planet of origin. While most of the Corinairans had been separated and held in the brig, many of them had never been asked about their place of origin. Most had simply been corralled to the nearest cargo bay for holding until transportation to the surface of Corinair could be arranged.

They had spent much of their time in the cargo bays contemplating their disposition. Most of them had never known who they had been fighting and who it was that had taken them prisoner. Eventually, a few who knew the answers got mixed in with those that did not; not long after which everyone knew they were being held by people from Earth. There had even been a rumor that the captain of the Earth ship was the legendary Na-Tan from the Legend of Origins. This spawned from a crewman from communications that had overheard news broadcasts from Corinair about the
sign of Na-Tan
that had been witnessed by tens of thousands the night before. Although most of the crew had dismissed such beliefs as myth before they reached puberty, it had still become the most common topic of conversation during their imprisonment.

There were only a handful of Corinairans in the port cargo bay, eight of them in all. They had soon clustered together, spending much of their time reminiscing about their youth on their shared home world prior to their forced enlistment in the Takaran military. Less than ten percent of those inducted got to serve on board spaceships. Most inductees were forced to serve as foot soldiers stationed on the surface of some of the worst worlds in the empire. Those stuck on such worlds rarely made it back to their own worlds after their service was fulfilled, instead being left to scratch out a meager existence on whatever world they happened to occupy when they were discharged. That was about the only reason any inductees ever re-enlisted for a second tour.

By comparison, however, those serving on ships had a much better chance of returning home. In fact, if they had served well and were favored by a nobleman of command rank, they might even be able to serve a few extra months in exchange for passage to at least get close to their planet of origin.

Dexter lay on the large crate, his legs dangling over the edge as he stared at the ceiling high above him. “I don’t care if he was trying to protect the home world,” he announced, interrupting the two men arguing from atop the crate next to him. “He had no right to put us all in this predicament. I was three days from getting out, I was. And Lieutenant Brayerton favored me, he did. I was sure to get an early boot so as to return home.”

“And what would you have returned home to, Dex?” one of the other men argued. “We were bombing the hell out of our own world, our mothers and fathers, our lads and ladies. If not for that Na-Tan fella, we’d have no home to go to.”

“I’m not convinced of that, Sal. The captain had a few tricks left up his sleeve, he did.”

“You heard the others, Dex. That Earth ship just kept appearing out of nowhere, slipping inside our shields and hammering away at us, then disappearing again just as magically as she had appeared to begin with. How the hell was the captain gonna defend against that?”

“He’d a found a way; I’d bet my life on it.”

“Well, it’s certainly nice to know that you’ve got so much faith in the Lord de Winter,” his friend jeered.

Dexter sat up with a start. “I’ve got no faith in the bastard, Sal. You know that as well as anyone. But I
do
know what a sneaky little weasel he can be when he puts his mind to it.”

Their conversation was interrupted when the cargo doors began to open. Splitting down the middle, they slid slowly to either side just enough to allow a man to pass between the doors before they stopped moving. No sooner had they stopped than five members of the Yamaro’s crew stepped through the opening.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Dexter said, recognizing that his fellow Corinairans were heavily armed. “They’ve taken back the ship!” he announced, jumping down from his crate to follow the others as they crowded the area in front of the exit.

“Remain where you are!” Corporal Eckert ordered.

“What’s the good word?” Dexter asked.

“We need volunteers,” the corporal announced, “Corinairan volunteers.”

“Volunteers for what?” someone shouted.

“De Winter and his staff managed to escape from Corinair and we believe he has taken control of the Earth ship. We intend to take it back.”

“Are you joking?” Dexter asked. The crowd agreed, and the level of noise increased drastically as the crowd began to shout out questions and talk amongst themselves.

“Quiet down!” Corporal Eckert ordered. “They already tried to take back this ship, but we stopped them.”

“We?” Dexter wondered. “Have you gone over to the other side now?”

“They fight for
us
,” the corporal told them, “for
all
of us. They fight and they die, not only for Corinair, but for everyone.”

“Against the Ta’Akar?” Dexter shouted in disbelief. “That’ll be a short battle!”

Corporal Eckert looked at Dexter. “Those people died protecting you, Dex.”

“Weren’t no one shooting at us, Eckie, least ways not that I noticed.”

“If they take control of the Aurora, they will destroy this ship to keep it out of the hands of the Corinari.”

The prisoners exploded at the news. If the Yamaro was going to become a target they wanted off as soon as possible. Corporal Eckert realized that he had no right to keep them locked up on a ship that could be under fire at any moment. Especially since they had no way to defend themselves.

“Any Corinairans who are willing to fight, follow me now,” Corporal Eckert told them.

“What about those of us who aren’t?” Dexter asked. “You gonna give us a ride down to the surface?”

“We don’t have any shuttles available,” Corporal Eckert said.

“What about the Corinairans? Surely they can send up a few transports?”

“Corinair is in turmoil. Between the bombardment and the riots—”

“Riots?” Dexter interrupted. “What riots?”

“Between Loyalists and Followers, at least that’s what we heard.”

“The escape pods!” someone shouted.

“Yes, of course,” Corporal Eckert agreed. “Anyone wishing to get off the ship is free to use an escape pod. That should get you safely to the surface. Now, those who wish to fight for their freedom, for the freedom of Corinair, step forward now.

Corporal Eckert watched as one by one, eight men stepped forward. Dexter hadn’t moved.

Sal turned around and looked at Dexter. “Get your ass over here, Dex, or I’ll rat you out to your mum when I get back to the surface.” Dexter shook his head and reluctantly stepped forward.

The tenth man to join was someone that Corporal Eckert did not recognize. “Where are you from?” he asked the man as he put his hand out to stop him from advancing.

“Omotosso,” the man answered.

“This is not your fight. You are not of this world.”

“The way I see it, sooner or later, this is gonna be everyone’s fight.” The corporal stared at him for a moment, unsure if he should allow the Omotossan to join them. “Besides, you ever been to Omotosso?” he said with a dour smile. “Consider me an immigrant.”

“As you wish,” the corporal agreed, nodding his head in respect as he turned and lead the group of volunteers out the door.

“Good of you to join us, Dex,” Sal teased.

“Escape pods are death traps anyway,” Dex grumbled as they followed the corporal out of the cargo bay.

“I guess you’d know, wouldn’t you.”

“What are you trying to say?” Dexter asked defensively.

“Nothing just making an observation. I mean, you are the escape pod maintenance technician, aren’t you?”

“Careful,” Dexter warned.

* * *

“Sir,” Andre said, “we still have not been able to raise team three.”

“What about the medevac shuttle?” de Winter asked.

“They are also not responding.”

“Are they still on the Yamaro?”

“Yes sir. They have not moved since they landed.”

“Damn,” de Winter cursed. “I was hoping to get at least a few loyal crewmen over to help man this ship for the voyage back to Takara.” The captain’s demeanor quickly changed, lightening up. “Oh well. I guess there’s nothing else keeping us here, is there?” Captain de Winter walked around and sat down in the command chair in the middle of the command podium. “As soon as full power is restored, I want you to target all weapons on the Yamaro, Sergeant. I don’t want to leave anything behind for the Corinairans to salvage.”

“Yes sir.”

Captain de Winter sat confidently in the command chair as he contemplated his triumphant return to Takara. While no captain had ever returned to the home world after losing their ship to an enemy in battle, neither had any captain ever returned with a prize that would change the entire future of the empire. Caius would have no choice but to bestow the rank of admiral upon him, making him the first in his long family line to have achieved such rank. Money, lands, and power would soon follow, and his less than stellar early career would be a distant memory. No longer would he spend his days rotting in a warship out in the cold of space. The rest of his days would be spent under the golden sun of Takara, reveling in the trappings of his position and status in Takaran society.