Solbidyum Wars Saga Book 1: Battle of the New Orleans (39 page)

To the people of the Federation, please be assured that the Federation still maintains power and that the traitors to the Federation will be brought to justice for their
actions.”

When the speech was over, the
Admiral said, “Doesn’t anyone here ever eat, I’m starved.”  Everyone chuckled and Captain Stonbersa sent a message to the dining room to have a meal prepared. The Admiral, his staff and many of the crew of the
NEW ORLEANS
that had participated in the events of the day all headed to the dining area in a roar of comments about what had just been witnessed.  Members of
NEW ORLEANS
crew took over stations on the bridge under Reidecor’s command while we all dined.

While we were dining Kala asked me, “Tib do you think the rebels will surrender?” 

“No,” I said, “they are too far into this now to surrender; if they surrender most of them will be court-martialed and executed.  If they are not, they still we be put out of the military and probably imprisoned for a time and will live the rest of their lives in disgrace. They will rather take the slim chance that they might somehow win or escape than the alternative.”

“It’s all such a shame,” Kala said, “I’m sure I know a lot of those people and before the return of the Solbidyum they were my friends
, when I was watching Commander Thimas on the vid earlier I had a hard time thinking of him as the same man that the Captain and I used to dine with on the
DUSTEN
.  At one time I even considered him as a possible mate, but he never knew that.”

“
Really, you and the
evil traitor Commander Thimas
.” I said trying to do my best imitation of Admiral Regeny.”  Kala laughed and punched me on the arm.

Everyone
had finished eating when a message came from Reidecor on the bridge for the Admiral.

“Sir there is a new
vid being broadcasted on the surface about the events of today; do you wish it on the vid screen in the dining room?”

“Yes if you would please,” Regeny responded.

The screen at the end of the table lit up and the image of Elige appeared on the screen mid-sentence “...Federation had an hour to respond and if they failed to do so the consequences will be swift and severe.  At the time the rebels did not know that the Federation was taking action against their headquarters and far from being the impotent group the rebels were claiming, the Federation backed up their earlier claims by blowing up the rebels’ underwater base in the Western Ocean.  The nature of the weapon used is unknown and of a magnitude that has our military experts thinking the Federation used some new secret weapon heretofore unknown to the public, or that the rebel base had a huge stockpile of some explosive materials.  Tidal waves were created all around the shores of the Western Ocean and many small coastal towns were flooded and buildings destroyed. We have heard that there have been some deaths and many are injured, though the numbers yet are unknown.  While we cannot speak to the necessity of the action against the rebel base, many are questioning if it required the magnitude of power used in doing so.

Just moments later the Federation again struck
again wiping out nearly all of the rebels captured fleet, save for the
DUSTEN
which has close to ten thousand civilians and dignitaries aboard.  Admiral Regeny offered the traitors an opportunity to surrender, but so far there has been no response from the rebels on the
DUSTEN.
At this time no information is available as to what ship or ships the Federation used in their actions against the rebels and experts are mystified as it was believed that all the Federation ships capable of assisting in this standoff are out of system and cannot get to Megelleon for some weeks.  Whatever the Federation is using they have shown the rebels that they still have the ability and strength to dominate the situation. “

“What have I do
ne?” I asked in horror. “Thousands injured and dead!” 

Kala put her arms around me
but I stiffened.

“Tibby it had to be done
,” Admiral Regeny said, “don’t blame yourself, this is war and it’s hard not to have civilian casualties.  I approved the action.  I could have stopped it and taken other actions.”

“It
was my plan, and because of me people have lost homes and lives.  When this is over I will see that everyone who has lost a home will get a new one worth twice as much and I see they receive more than just that, maybe I can’t give back lives but I sure can make it easier for those who survived!” I said.

Kala took hold of my hand and said, “Tib
I know you will, if you would like I’ll call back to the Estate and get my assistant busy starting to set things up to do that.”

“I really would appreciate that Kala
, thank you,” I said.

“Tibby, don’t let this weigh
you down. First of all you had no way of knowing what the effect was going to be of blowing up the base, and second of all it had to be done.”  Kala tried to reassure me.

“She’s right Tibby,” Regeny said, “and before this is over we may have to make a lot of other difficult decisions on which many lives may depend.  That unfortunately is the nature of war.”

Just then Cantolla came into the dining room.  “Tibby I think I may have it,” she said,
“But we will need you to go through all your movements one more time.”

“This could not come at a worse time or a better time either I guess.  I’ll be there as soon as I can… I have no idea where you are set up on the ship though.”

Kala said, “I know where they are Tib, I’ll show you when you are ready to go.”

“She has what?” Regeny asked somewhat
off-guard.

“I’ll explain later Admiral, but if she is right it might help answer our problem of how we are going to rescue the
DUSTEN
.”

Just then Reidecor voice came over the intercom
in the dining room saying, “Another broadcast coming from the
DUSTEN
.”  Immediately the screen went to a view on the bridge of the
DUSTEN,
Commander Thimas was there with a less cocky attitude and a rather desperate look on his face.

“
It is regrettable that Federations chosen the course of foolish action that they have, unfortunately they are forcing the Brotherhood to resort to more painful actions to convince them we are not afraid to take on more drastic means to prove our resolve. I call your attention to this vid being broadcasted live from one of the cargo airlocks of the
DUSTEN
.”  A view of one of the smaller cargo airlocks area appeared with about one hundred people inside’ some dignitaries, some trooper and others simply occupants on the
DUSTEN.
As Commander Thimas continued talking the red lights on the cargo airlock doors began flashing indicating that the doors were about to be opened, people began screaming and panicking.  “Every hour that the Federation delays in meeting our demand, one hundred citizens of the Federation will be placed it an airlock and jettisoned into space.” As he continued speaking people began choking and gasping as the air in the compartment was being sucked out. Then with a sudden whoosh the doors opened and the bodies floated out into space.  “It is not the wish of the Brotherhood to be unduly cruel but we will not hesitate to use whatever force and method is required to attain our goals.  The puny acts of defiance the Federation have shown in its attack on our base in the Western Ocean means nothing. It is but one of many bases we have located on planets throughout the Galaxy and the Federation would be wise to give up its futile attempts to stop us, rather they should be looking to meeting my demands and surrendering.  Many lives including their own can be spared if they follow my demands.  I have brought their ex- Captain Maxette here to the bridge so everyone can see what will happen to each and every one of the Federation officers who continue to defy me.”  The screen displayed Captain Maxette being dragged into view on the bridge, he was bloodied and bruised but still was able to walk and stand erect.  From somewhere off screen Commander Thimas produced a pair of shears and walked toward Captain Maxette.  “Now tell everyone Ex- Captain Maxette, who is the Captain of the
DUSTEN
?”

Captain Maxette responded defiantly, “I am!” 

Thimas struck the Captain full in the face and the two guards restraining him held him while Thimas forcefully bent the Captains wrist down so he could not close his hand and then placed the shears over his little finger.  “Now EX-Captain Maxette, who is the captain of the DUSTEN?”  With every bit of resolve Maxette had he said, “I AM!” There was a crunching sound heard and the shears severed the Captains little finger and he cried out in pain.  On board the
NEW ORLEANS
I could hear the officers watching gasp and I heard the Admiral say. ”By the stars, the man is insane” 

“Tisk, tisk, EX-Captain,” Commander Thimas was saying,
“I fear that wrong answers will get you nowhere and will only result in the loss of body parts.”   Then he turned back facing the vid screen and addressed his audience. “The things you see here being done to the EX-Captain are the things that every Federation officer who defies me will receive.”  Then turning back to Captain Maxette and placing another finger in the shears repeated.  “Now who is the Captain of the
DUSTEN
?”

“I am,” Captain Maxette said through clenched teeth.

Commander Thimas was heard to emit a loud sigh and another crunch was heard as the Captain cried out in pain again, blood could be seen spurting away from Commander Thimas who blocked the view of the Captain’s hand.

“I
fear that like the Federation, EX-Captain Maxette has not endured enough loss yet to recognize the futility of resistance.” Commander Thimas said as he turned toward the vid screen, the front of his black uniform and his hands clearly showing the blood that had gushed over him when he cut off the Captain’s finger.  “You have one hour to turn over the Solbidyum container, one hour or more people go out the hatch. I want it delivered in the
TRITYTE,
no one onboard, we will take control of it remotely and bring it aboard the
DUSTEN. 
In the mean time we shall have to see if we cannot get EX-Captain Maxette to recognize who the Captain of the
DUSTEN
really is.” The vid screen went blank. 

Kala was hanging on my arm, her face buried in my shirt and she was crying
. The officers of the high command all appeared to be in shock. 

Admiral
Regeny said, “The man’s gone mad, did you notice he switched from talking about the demands of the Brotherhood and switched to
his
demands and
his
wants?  We might have been able to negotiate with the Brotherhood, but how do you deal with a madman?  Every life on the
DUSTEN
is at stake as long as he is there, to say nothing of what he could do to the Capitol and Megelleon itself.   There is enough firepower on the
DUSTEN
to turn Megelleon into a ball of fire.  What can we do?”

“What he said,
Admiral,” I answered, “we give him the
TRITYTE
and the Solbidyum container.”

“Have you gone insane too,” the
Admiral said looking at me with shock on his face, “Do you have any idea of the threat to the Federation and all its citizens if that nut has that much power under his control? Let alone the Brotherhood whose full intentions are not known!”

“I didn’t say we would give him the Solbidyum,
” I began, “only the Solbidyum
container
, that’s all he asked for, as for the
TRITYTE
the Solbidyum in its reactor has already been removed and Corporal Luinella is installing a small fusion battery that will give the ship enough power for short distances under impulse power, but not enough power for GW or light speed, nor enough for the weapons.   Actually I am not even thinking of giving him the Solbidyum container, but an exact replica of it with me and seven others tightly crammed into it.  I seriously doubt that anyone aboard the
DUSTEN
has the codes to open the real container and I suspect it will take some time before they try, so we would be safe inside.  We would need a means of opening it from within.  They will most likely leave the container in the
TRITYTE
for the time being. Thimas won’t want anyone but himself getting too close to it, so he’ll have the guards posted off ship, probably around it.  

Once we know we are aboard the
DUSTEN
we’ll wait until we think things are clear and then well exit the container and take out the guards, then open the bay doors, the
NEW ORLEANS
will be close by, cloaked but as soon as we open the doors the troops here will have to move quickly with the patrol ships and move over into the
DUSTEN
as soon as the RMFF shield is dropped. They will have only about a minute or less to do it.   The
NEW ORLEANS
will be too close for the
DUSTEN
to fire on it, but I doubt they will see it because I suspect that Thimas is going to want to make a speech gloating and with all eyes on him no one will see us moving.  We can get one hundred men aboard and take out as many of the Brotherhood while Thimas is making his speech.  Hopefully, if the loyal troopers over there are still alive we can get free them and regain control of the ship before Thimas finishes. Taking the bridge will be the hardest part.  Is there any way to disconnect the fire controls for the bridge from elsewhere in the ship?”