Resolution (11 page)

The Operations officer was busy issuing the orders and getting the trap set up.

"Navigation, please keep an eye on the Transit points so we can know where the others are as soon as we can." He turned back to the system plot. "Have the Battleships and the remaining cruiser wait here in order to transit out as quickly as possible so we can intercept the other renegades as soon as we locate them. Keep one Cruiser on station to direct the Tammerain relief ships to where we need them as soon as they arrive. As soon as the pickets we sent out arrive at the attacked planets, get help sent."

"At once Sir," his flag captain replied from across the system hologram.

––––––––

R
ighteous Vengeance dropped out of hyperspace and set course for the planet Octurus 4 and detected nothing out of the ordinary. The Tammerain traffic controller welcomed them and directed them to a landing at the main cargo area at the largest city on the planet. The Captain just smiled and nodded to his helmsman to set course. Back in the cargo bay, three of the more technical fighters had opened the shipping container of the mark VI antimatter warhead and were getting it ready for delivery.

Unknown to anyone in the old freighter, six Guardian Destroyers had taken up position around them and engaged their hyperspace interdiction equipment. The renegade ship was now trapped and unable to jump back into hyperspace. The destroyers had also armed their weapons, but did not target the ship, as that would have let them know they were caught.

Two hours out from port, the renegade detected the arrival of the relief ships being sent to John. They had used the transit point as most Tammerain shipping did now that it was available. Seeing this, the Captain frowned.

"Scan the system again, report anything even remotely out of place."

The first officer stepped up to his chair. "Something bothering you, Sir?"

"Yeah, but I can't put my finger on it. We didn't arrive at the transit point, but the ATC at the planet didn't even question us. Why not?" The captain asked.

"Well, we did report that we had arrived from one of the outer planets in the sector. Maybe they just assumed we didn't use the transit point since it wasn't a very long trip?" the first officer replied.

"That could be, but still - wouldn't you at least ask to make sure? Especially since they have to know that raiders are out here?" the Captain said, trying to puzzle this out. "Navigation, plot a course for Antares Nine but don't change course. Just be ready to get us out of here."

"Aye Sir," the Navigator replied and began working up the plot.

"I don't see any big white ships. Do you think this is a trap?" the first officer asked.

"It's starting to feel like it," the captain replied. "Comms, when those new ships arrived, did the ATC give them any special instructions?"

"Not really, Sir. Just that they were to remain on station for redirect orders. They identify as relief and support ships for the attacks we've been making. Nothing unusual Sir."

"Do they ID as Tammerain ships?" the first officer asked.

"Aye Sir. Registry has them listed as belonging to the Imperial emergency aide ministry," the man replied.

"No warships came with them?" the captain asked immediately.

"No Sir, I would have reported that right away!"

"Helm! Execute jump program, get us out of here - NOW!" the Captain all but yelled.

"Jump program is online... uh, Sir, it's not initializing," the helmsmen replied. "The Hyperdrive will not come online."

"Come about! Full power! Get us out of this system as fast as you can!" the captain screamed. He looked at his first officer. "There is a rumor that Xanadu had discovered a way to keep ships from jumping to hyperspace as a means of escape. Since they gave them everything else, I'm sure the fucking Guardian traitors got those as well."

"Sir! We're surrounded. Six Guardian Destroyers have us boxed in!" the navigator replied.

"We're being hailed, Captain!" the comms officer replied.

"Fuck!" the captain replied, and opened a comm to the techs working on the bomb. "Jacobs, how's it going with the bomb?"

"We'll be ready by the time we get to the planet Sir, no problem!" the man replied cheerfully.

"We're not going to make it to that narding planet! We're surrounded by Guardians ships, we flew into a trap! Can you detonate that thing?" the man asked.

"Maybe in about ten minutes, but why bother? We're done, why not just surrender?" the man asked.

"Because, you simplistic moron, the first thing they're going to do to us is interrogation. Which means that they will know what the others are up to as well! There is also the small fact that that bomb you're working on is still in its company shipping crate!" the Captain replied. "I don't care how you do it, but you have to set that fucking bomb off now!"

"Sir, there are a ton of safe guards in this to prevent it from detonating like that. We can't even shoot it with a rifle!" the tech replied.

"Then use a fucking grenade! I don't care how you do it, just get it done! We'll buy you as much time as we can. At least we'll take some of these traitors with us when we go!"

––––––––

"S
ir, the renegade has changed course. The Destroyers are blocking it," the operations officer said.

"Thanks Gerry. Tell them to board the freighter as quickly as possible. There's no telling what kinds of nasty surprises these assholes might have rigged up!" John ordered. "Besides, we need to get some answers out of them. When they capture the command group, I want them brought here for interrogation. Comms, hail the freighter."

"Aye Sir, sending hail."

After a few moments, Guardian Tardeinne, John's acting Flag Captain, grunted. "I think we took them by surprise. Either that or they are still looking for a means to escape."

John nodded his agreement. "Is the channel still open, Comms?"

"Aye Sir, still no response."

John activated his own comm to that channel. "Attention renegade freighter Early Harvest, by the authority of the Guardians acting on behalf of the alliance of nations, you are hearby ordered to shut down your engines and stand ready for boarding. You have nowhere to run folks. Surrender now; no one else has to die this day."

"Yeah and just who do you think you are, asshole?" Came the reply.

"I'm John Aster. Who are you?" John replied.

"Wow, I'm honored. The head traitor himself! I figured you for a much bigger ship; one that would actually be able to carry your inflated ego!" the man replied.

John muted the channel. "Board them now! He's stalling! Back the Destroyers off to a safe distance." Then he reopened the Comm. "You still haven't introduced yourself. As for my being a traitor, I honestly don't think you have any idea what you're talking about. I've been protecting your life since before your ancestors left Earth. How can I be the traitor here?"

"Because you have sold out to the Tammerain and let them get away without paying for their crimes against us! You have bowed to them and even taken them into the Guardians! Those animals have no place in this universe and should be utterly destroyed for what they have done to us! You and your fucking fellow traitors are letting them live after what they did to us! You have no idea, 'Guardian' of the hell they put us through! While you were off surrendering to the Tammerain, your new friends were massacring those of us who counted on you for our protection! I don't have any respect any of you! All you are worth is my utter contempt!"

"Boy, did you watch the wrong news vid!" John replied. "We didn't surrender to the Tammerain, we got them to withdraw. The Tammerain were being used by another race to attack us based on lies and half-truths not unlike what you are dreaming up right now. As for the massacres... Son, you have no idea what I've seen in my life. As for selling you out or turning traitor, I took an oath over five thousand years ago to defend and protect the human race. Why would I decide to change my mind about that now? Why would I change my mind after I watched my last remaining family totally destroyed? After I've watched my entire unit killed in action, or after all the other friends and those I call brother and sister fall defending you and your ancestors?

"The answer is I didn't. Defeat to anyone has more meaning to my brothers and me than it ever would to some irresponsible and petulant child such as yourself. The constant wars between the races had to stop or none of us would have survived. We finally found a way to make that happen, but ungrateful, selfish, children that can't see past their own pain are doing everything in their power to keep that from happening. But, you want to know something? It doesn't matter!

"That's right asshole, nothing you or your friends have done, or will do will sour the relations that have been formed. This new order is going to happen no matter what you try to do to sabotage it. The Tammerain understand what you're doing. While the loss of life is tragic, they know that it is only the reactions of a few people that cannot let go of their personal pain. My oath to protect you has not changed. However it has expanded to include the Tammerain as well. I will uphold that oath with my dying breath no matter what happens!"

"So say we all!" the bridge crew replied loud enough for the other person to hear it.

"We don't want your peace! Your peace doesn't answer for the deaths of our families and friends! A blood debt is owed us and that debt will be paid! We don't give a fuck about what you and your new friends think! Our people have bled! That has to be answered!" the irate man replied.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me how murdering innocent farmers and their families will bring back those that you've lost? How will inflicting your pain on others make what was done to you right in anyway?" John asked. "No amount of death will ever make it right. Someone once said, that before seeking vengeance, dig two graves. Son, if we used your logic then none of us would survive! Do you have any idea how many lives have been lost in this war already? At least a hundred billion humans have died because of this war. I have no idea how many there have been for the Tammerain, but it has to be at least as much. You're upset; I get that. You're hurt and angry; hell, I get that too. But doing what you are doing right now isn't going to bring you peace of mind, nor will it bring back those you loved. Nothing will. All we can hope for is to work to stop the senseless killing of innocents like those you lost. Seeking vengeance is not the way to do that."

"You don't know me, asshole. I'm one of those peons you high and mighty Guardians like to say you protect! Where were you when they nuked Shenghi? Where were you when Tammerain ground troops walked through my village and destroyed everything! You were out doing only the gods know what while our people burned! Fuck you! You're in no position to preach to me about your high and mighty morals! You and you’re..."

The Marines assaulting the bridge and stunning the crew interrupted the man.

"Prime Guardian, this is Lieutenant Carden. Bridge is secured. First Sergeant H'reanse reports finding a functional AM warhead in the main hold they were trying to hotwire. It's still in its original shipping crate. I'd say these idiots didn't think about us ever catching them and discovering who was giving them the toys they've been playing with."

"Well done, Carden. Please make sure the command crew is brought to the Command ship for interrogation. Is the warhead stable?" John asked.

"I think so, we've got one of the ordnance folks coming over from the ship to look after it. Sir, I think you should know that these people had top of the line weapons and armor. The same stuff they would issue to normal unenhanced ground troops. There are a few strange toys too; one of my techs says they look to be prototypes being developed by Ares Arms Corp. All the serial numbers have AACP before the numbers, which is the protocol for experimental weapons." The officer reported.

"Well done, Lieutenant. Please secure the ship for transport back to our base for forensic analysis. Please let your people know they've done very well," John replied.

"Will do Sir, Carden out."

John turned towards his office. "Tardeinne, take over. I'll pass all this along to our other teams so they know what to look out for. I think I might send a team to lock down Ares Arms as well."

"Yes John. Gerry is just starting to get reports in from the scouts we sent to the attacked worlds," the big Tammerain officer replied.

John nodded. "Let them know help is on the way."

––––––––

J
ohn had just finished telling Chloe and the others about what they'd discovered so far, when he ordered a unit sent to Ares Arms Corporation. While their corporate headquarters was on Centauri, they had manufacturing facilities in two other systems including a research facility at Xanadu. The Unit would split up, and lock down each of the facilities as well as detain the leadership and many of the employees. Once that was finished, the unit would begin investigating how the weapons found on the renegade ship had gotten there.

John also informed Mark of the action he was taking. To say Mark was pissed would be an understatement, and he ordered his guards to arrest four senators as well since those four had controlling interest in that company. John thanked him and let the unit know there were four other people to question in the Palace brig.

He was just about to return to the command deck when he was surprised by a communications request from the Empress herself.

Not one to refuse a national leader, John accepted the request.

Although he did not drop to one knee when her hologram appeared, he did bow to her. That was protocol since he was not one of her subjects.

"Empress, to what do I owe the honor of your call?" John asked.

"Thank you for accepting my call, Prime Guardian, I know you are busy. I have been briefed on your actions in our space. I wished to let you know that there are several of my own people that have been detained for the same reasons. We were lucky in that they had not gotten as far along in their planning as the humans had. Since this situation is so new, we have been at a loss as to what to do with them. So we have decided to remand them over to you.