Resolution (10 page)

The Dissidents now had ships, the last item needed for them to raise hell in Tammerain space and kill as many of their enemy as they could.

––––––––

T
he bodies of the murdered crews were discovered by security personnel and immediately reported to their superiors. By the time the report reached the Intel office, the crime was nearly a week old and there was no chance of tracing the ships in question.

Since the crime involved foreign citizens, the local office of Military Intelligence should have passed it on to the newly formed Guardian Depot, but they didn't. Preferring to 'handle' the matter themselves. Two more weeks were lost before reports of large-scale massacres taking place in Tammerain space reached the Guardians.

The report made it all the way up to John and he was pissed.

After making contact with and informing The Tammerain Empress as well as Mark, John took command of one of his new task forces and left Bethel's Anvil to hunt down the renegades. While he did that, Chloe, Alice and Carl left for the Sargasso System to begin the investigation into the murder of the freighter crews.

When Chloe and her team arrived in the Sargasso System, they were met there by a delegation from the local constable's office as well as the Military Intelligence office. As Chloe led her team off the ramp of the
Flyer
, the Major in charge of the Intelligence unit marched forward with a small unit of armed troops.

"Guardian Diamond, your assistance here has not been requested. As you are violating sovereign kingdom space, I am hereby ordering you to leave; immediately. We do not need your assistance at this time," the belligerent officer said.

"Really?" Chloe asked looking at him. She glanced at the members of the local Constabulary that had followed the troops, and then refocused on the man in front of her.

"I guess, with your very busy schedule out here on the border, you haven't had time to read the new regulations. As for the Guardians invading sovereign kingdom space, I think you'll find we are well within our jurisdictional boundaries. As for you and your men..."

As she finished, several armored Guardians shimmered into view, surrounding the three groups. The army troops behind the Major were clearly surprised. Army soldiers were not usually enhanced, and were used as garrison troops or guards for rear positions. While the Marines were the Kingdom's offensive troops, the Army troops were the defense.

"Major Dimitre, you and your men are currently interfering with the investigation of a Guardian, which is a crime under the laws of the Kingdom. Since you obviously did not know that, I will enlighten you as to the new regulations. A Guardian, while executing an investigation in Kingdom space, has the authority of a Royal Marshal and has all the rights and powers of that office. Disagreements or abuses on the part of the Guardian in question may be filed with the Royal Judge Advocate General's Office. A Guardian operating in Kingdom space has the full approval and authority of the King. No jurisdictional boundaries exist for a Guardian. A Guardian is free to investigate those crimes or suspected offenses that may have a detrimental effect on the stability of peace, or the safety of the people of the galaxy," Chloe explained. "There is quite a bit more to it than that, and of course there is the legalese that only a few can actually understand, but that's the long and short of it. Is there any part of that you don't understand?"

"I don't give a gorrath's ass about what the regs say,
Guardian
. You are not wanted nor are you needed here. Leave. Now," the Major said.

Chloe nodded. "So you are telling us that not only will you not assist us in our investigations, but you will actively keep us from our duty?"

"
You
have no duty here. Your presence will only disrupt our own investigations into this matter. If you insist on remaining, we will arrest you for obstruction and interference with a Military investigation," the Major replied. "You used to be in the
human
Military, you should understand what that means, right?" He put a slight stress of the word 'human'.

"Ah, I see the problem now. You think that just because we recruited from the Tammerain as well, we no longer have the best interests of humanity in mind. Over seventy percent of the Guardian force is still human. Besides that, no Guardian is allowed any allegiance to any other group or organization other than the Guardians and their mission. Right now, our mission has brought us here. One last chance Major, either way, we are going to be staying and looking into this. Do you intend to keep us from our duty here and now?"

"You have no business here..."

“Major Dimitre, by the order of the Prime Guardian, acting as an agent of His majesty King Marcus Candlewood, you and your men are hereby under arrest for the crime of Guardian Interference. I suggest you all very slowly place your weapons on the ground and follow the instructions of the Guardians detaining you," Chloe said loudly enough for everyone to hear her.

"You have no authority!" the Major shouted. "Men! Stop them!"

However, behind him, the army troops had already placed their weapons on the ground and knelt with their hands on their heads and ankles crossed.

Chloe turned to Carl. "I doubt the army guys are guilty of anything more than following orders. Only detain the officers and the senior non-commissioned officers, however, make sure their weapons are locked up."

"Will do, I'd hate to hold these guys for having idiots for leaders," Carl replied. "What about the Constables? It'll be more difficult to determine if they are ignorant or culpable."

"I would say since they're civilians, they get the same rights; innocent until proven otherwise. I'd give them a warning not to get in our way, and let them go," Alice suggested, to which Chloe could only agree.

"Once you get finished with them, do you want to check out the security logs here?" Chloe asked him.

Carl nodded. "That'll work. I'll take some of the boys with me and intimidate them into cooperating! Captain!" Carl called to one of the guards as he moved away from the group.

Chloe looked at Alice. "Do you want to take the Constable's office or the Mil-Int office?"

"Constables. The Mil-Int guys have always given me the creeps," Alice replied and shuddered.

Chloe chuckled. "Be sure to take a few of our guys with you. At least I know I'm going into hostile territory, it could go either way with you," Chloe said smiling.

"You just had to mention that didn't you?" Alice said shaking her head.

––––––––

A
board the newly rechristened heavy freighter 'Righteous Vengeance', the captain and crew where celebrating yet another slaughter of a civilian farming colony.

"So where are we going now, Captain?" one of the 'fighters' asked him.

"I think it's time we really strike back," the man said grinning. "Octurus Four is the sector capitol. I think we should deliver a very special cargo to their main city."

"Won't the space port have a much larger security force?" she asked.

The Captain chuckled. "That won't matter. We really will only be delivering a package and leaving. There won't be time for any kind of assault"

"No assault? Why not?"

"Trust me, you don't want to be anywhere near what's going to happen down there," the man said.

"Please Greg, what do you have up your sleeve?" the woman all but pleaded.

He looked at the woman who had lost her entire family to the Tammerain when they hit her small village. "Rhonda, let me say only this; just because we don't have any missile launchers, doesn't mean we don't have missile
warheads
."

"Ohhhhhh! I get it!" the woman said getting an evil grin.

––––––––

A
fter leaving for Tammerain space to track down the renegade ships, one of the first things John did was contacting the Empress' staff to inform them of the action.

"Good day to you Prime Guardian, to what do we owe the honor of your call?" a stately looking male asked.

"Defense Leader Car'Shalon, I am afraid I have very grave news. Currently, I am leading a fleet of ships into your space. We are tracking a group of renegade humans that have stolen four of your freighters and are using them to stage attacks on your people. These misguided humans cannot let go of the anger at your people from the recent war and are using those ships to slaughter unsuspecting civilians on undefended planets. I wished to inform you of this action, as well as to ask you to notify all of your border worlds to deny these ships approach rights," John said respectfully.

"That's not a good thing for this time, Prime Guardian. We too have discovered several misguided citizens with similar motives. To this point we have been able to keep them under control, however, I was going to send you a report later this day." He paused to speak to an aide, and then turned back to John. "An alert will be issued as you have asked. We thank you for your response in this matter; perhaps the day will come when such actions are no longer needed."

John nodded agreement. "That is our wish as well, Defense Leader. However, we did know there would be a time of transition. I just hope these events will be few and caught before it comes to this point. We have heard rumors that several attacks on your people have been made. We are moving to stop them." John replied and sent a data packet to the Defense Leader. "I am sending you our intelligence of this event to this point. We will be arriving at your sector capitol world in an effort to ascertain the location of these criminals, as well as what planets may need assistance because of them."

The dignified being nodded gravely, "I will notify our relief forces and send them to you. I would offer our military as well, but I see you have plenty of force at your disposal. While I will put the local garrisons on alert, it would be good for it to be seen that you are handling this. Assistance will be there if you need it, but not overly apparent to the people."

"You are very wise, Defense Leader. We appreciate the effort you are going to in assisting us," John replied, surprised.

"It really is no effort. Not so long ago, our forces considered you a demon with mystical powers. There are still those that believe that to be so. If we are to move past all the ugliness of The Deception, you and your organization must handle events such as this, as regrettable as they are. More importantly, you must be seen to handle it. Information and propaganda are as much weapons for peace and war as a plasma cannon. It is time to turn that arsenal into a tool for peace," the being replied. "I am told there will be a small fleet of twenty to thirty medical and supply ships that will meet you at Octurus Four. That is all that can be made ready in short notice. More will be readied and sent to you as we can. They have orders to report to you for assignment, Prime Guardian."

"It is much appreciated Defense Leader. We are twenty minutes from the transit point. We will arrive at Octurus Four in just under an hour."

"Peace be with you Guardian and may the Goddess guide your path," the being said nodding.

"And with you Defense Leader," John replied.

––––––––

"P
rime Guardian, the transit point reports a ship matching the hyperspace signature of one of the renegade ships is in transit to this system," the navigator replied. It was a closely guarded secret, known only to the Guardians, that the transit points could track ships in hyperspace out to twenty light years. Considering transit points were thick as fleas on a cur in this area of the galaxy, it meant using hyperspace as a means of sneaking around was a moot point.

"Thank you T'harnes. Has the network located the other ships yet?" John asked.

"Not since their initial jump, Sir. If they stick close to those initial headings, we should have them pegged as soon as they make their next jump," the navigator, T'Harnes replied.

"Yeah, it's what they are doing before making those jumps that has me worried. The longer they remain in real space, the more people they kill," John replied. "Helm, stealth approach. Bring the fleet to stealth status and prepare to welcome the inbound. Stand by with the hyperspace interdictor."

"Loci for the interdictor?" the operations officer asked.

John was thoughtful for a moment. "Show me the plot for the inbound please."

The hyperspace track for the renegade ship was displayed on the main holographic unit in the center of the bridge. "Okay, it looks like they will be returning to normal space here." John pointed to a spot just inside the orbit of the sixth planet. "Especially if they are trying to make like they are a Tammerain trader.  Mark this as point alpha. Send six tin-cans there and have them spread out to cover this whole area. Once the ship drops out, engage their interdictors, and shadow the ship to the planet. They are not to reveal themselves unless the ship tries to turn away..." His young operations officer, a human named Gerry Wills, interrupted John.

"What's a 'tin-can' sir?"

John chuckled. "It's a nickname for a Destroyer that originated on Earth many years ago. There were other nicknames for other classes, but I can't remember them."

"What is it a reference to, sir? Why call them that?" another young sailor asked.

"Back before we left Earth, and even for a few years after, large quantities of food stuffs were stored in a sealed metal container called a 'can'. Although later versions were made of aluminum, early versions were made of tin or a thin steel alloy. The reason for the nickname is that, during the Second World War, a massive recycling effort by the people of the United States helped to supply the needed metal to build the small warships. It was also believed that sailors that served aboard then gave them the nickname because of the thin armor they were equipped with. Comparing it to a 'tin can'," John said.

"Now, the Destroyers will escort the renegade into the planet. Put us in orbit, cloaked, to await them. Have four Cruisers patrol outside the orbit of the sixth planet to ensure our target cannot escape." He indicated the areas he wanted the ships in as he described them.