THE PRIZE: BOOK TWO - RETRIBUTION (36 page)

From what she could see, they were almost running on fumes. Thankfully, they could take a ballistic course most of the way once the autopilot was set if they did run out of fuel. They made it with a little to spare, using it to move into a stable mixed orbit just at the top of the gas cloud. With it moving beneath them, she only had to extend the electron net and they’d extract pure hydrogen as the clouds passed through the net.

“Imperial Corvette - Identify yourself or be fired upon.” The comm systems crackled to life.

“Oh shit!” For a moment Jack froze, then reached for the transmit key. Ellis shot out of her seat and grabbed his hand before his fingers touched it.

“No!” She yelled.

“Oh shit - oh shit! Where the fuck did they come from?” Jack nodded towards the main viewer. Ellis felt like swearing herself as the bulk of a Tellurian light Cruiser came into view from around the gas giant, behind and above them, lit on one side by the ambient reflection from the gas giant, and backlit by the systems star on the other. The oblong black hull of the Imperial Light Cruiser looked brutal and menacing, like all imperial ships, as intended, the rounded edges doing nothing to soften her appearance. If that wasn’t sufficient to intimidate an opponent, her multiple weapons ports and torpedo launch tubes should do the trick.

“Oh of all the blind stupid luck.”

“I’m sorry I…I didn’t see them. They must have been behind the planet.”

“Yes, probably doing what we are doing, scooping hydrogen, damn it.”

“What do we do now?” Jack looked at her with pleading eyes.”

“Bluff. What languages do you speak?”

“Languages? Oh, I see. My language chip. Um… mostly low Tellurian and some others I’ve never used.”

“That will do. Answer them slowly, audio only, like you’re half asleep or something… ask them to repeat and nothing else.” Jack nodded and swallowed hard.”

“Imperial Corvette - Identify yourself or be fired upon. We will not repeat this request” The call came again

“Sounds pissed off as well.” Ellis muttered.

“Imperial Cruiser - This is Imperial Corvette Alpha 2095 - What do you want?” Despite his nervousness, Jack did sound tired and pissed off, like a low born Tellurian.”

“I said identify yourself.”

“I just did! You deaf or something?”

“Watch your tongue, Surl. Where is your Captain or senior officer?”

“Sleeping, where do you think at this hour?”

“That’s just some low level comm tech, so string him along until an officer comes on.” Ellis murmured before Jack touched the key again.

“Then wake him, dolt.” Jack didn’t need any prompting this time.

“What! And get my ass chewed out. No thank you. I’m in enough trouble with her as it is. Call back in a few hours.” Jack smiled nervously, seeing Ellis give him a thumbs up.

“This is Sub-Lieutenant Thrass,” A new voice announced. “I’m ordering you to wake your Captain and get him to the bridge now!”

“You’d better insult him as well. We aren’t far enough up the food chain yet.”

“What do you want me to say?” Ellis leaned over and whispered in his ear, and Jack let out a snort.

“Don’t get your panties in a knot, Sub-Lieutenant. I’m the only one on duty right now and can’t leave the bridge.” Silence greeted them.

“This is commander Sillbee. Who is this?”

“Tell him you’re… Sub-Lieutenant Marl Carras, the pilot.” Jack did, which brought another moment of silence. While this was going on, the Cruiser maneuvered into a position so they couldn’t escape. Ellis hoped Marl Carras would forgive her for using his name.

“Shit! They have a target lock on us!”

“Not to worry. The Tellurians are a nervous lot and like to go for intimidation right from the get-go.”

“This is Commander Sillbee. I’m ordering you to get your Captain. Now!” A new voice announced. “And turn your visuals on.”

“Yes, Commander, but please explain to her that it wasn’t my fault waking her. It’s going to take me a few minutes to get down to her cabin and wake her. She switched off her intercom.”

“What! Wait. Did you say ‘she’? Then I’ll have a few words with her about that as well, now get down there, and wake her.”

“Yes, Commander, but don’t blame me if she’s grouchy.” Jack didn’t switch on the monitor, so the Commander would have to assume he’d left the bridge to do what he’d been ordered to do.

“What now?” He asked, looking at Ellis.

“I’m thinking.” Ellis made a hand motion for him to be quiet. “Stay here. I need to get down to my cabin and make a few cosmetic adjustments.”

“Huh?”

Ellis didn’t bother answering but took off. She knew she couldn’t pull off being a Tellurian Var, or the female equivalent, as the Tellurians didn’t let females crew their ships. But that wasn’t true of Oxians. They looked very much like humans except for their skin color and hair, which was much darker and more like a Tellurians. Panting for breath, she made it to her cabin and quickly sprayed on some very dark makeup. She simply slicked back her hair with a handful of cream, betting the Tellurians wouldn’t know the difference. While she worked she thought of, and rejected several possible stories to account for the ship, and what she was doing here. Pulling on the dead captain’s jacket, she pulled off the gaudy trappings and fake medals, ending up with a passable dress coat. Grabbing the cream and the spray makeup she walked back to the bridge, sorting out her story as she walked. The Tellurians were slaves to orders, and very prickly about their Var status. That she could use. Then she had a moment of inspiration, smiling slightly as she entered the bridge.

“Here, spray this on your face and use the cream to slick your hair back.” Jack didn’t bother asking questions, he just did as she’d ordered. Sitting in the command chair, Ellis brought the monitor closer and opened the connection.

“This is Senior Commander and Captain, Pissoffski of his Imperial Majesty’s special operations Unit. Who is this?” She demanded in high Tellurian.

“This is Commander Sillbee. Who are you again?”

“Do you have a hearing impediment, Commander? I repeat, this is Senior Commander and Captain, Pissoffski of his Imperial Majesty’s special operations unit.” She made it sound even more snotty and aloof than the commander.

“Special Operations…”

“I see your hearing has improved, Commander, now put your Captain on immediately.”

“The Captain is busy at the moment…”

“I am not in the habit of wasting my time with low level officers. Now put your Captain on or I will return to my bunk. Hopefully to get a little more sleep before some other idiot bothers me with stupid questions!”

“Low level… My Title is Var Sillbee, Commander, and I do not appreciate Oxian officers addressing me in such a manner.” Commander Sillbee spluttered, sounding pissed off and completely forgetting why he’d called in the first place.

“Then I suggest you get used to it. I for one am not accustomed to junior officers waking me in the middle of the night with unimportant matters such as this.” Commander Sillbee had no way of knowing what time cycle the Corvette was on.

“But who are you, and what are you doing here?” He growled, trying to intimidate her. He’d finally gotten back on track, but wonders of wonders they no longer had a hard target lock on her ship, so something was happening upstairs.

“It would appear your hearing problems have improved. I have told you who I am. As to why we are here is a matter for discussion between your Captain and I.” Ellis said dismissively and turned her attention to Jack.

“I would have expected an officer of your caliber to have handled this matter without waking me. I shall have to amend your fitness report to reflect this dereliction of duty, Sub-lieutenant Carras.”

“I’m sorry, Captain, but they were very insistent that I wake you.” Ellis watched the monitor out the corner of her eye, seeing the Commander smile slightly, even though it was clear he was out of his depth right now. She looked back.

“You are still here? I told you to get your Captain, unless of course you have been promoted in the interim.” The Var’s face darkened.

“I have informed the Captain you wish to speak to him. He should be here shortly.”

“I should hope so. I am not in the habit to waiting for the Captain of some wandering Imperial Cruiser to get out of bed.”

“We are not wandering, we are here…”

“I am not interested in why you are here, Commander, only that you are impeding me from carrying out my duties as ordered by Director Markoff.” The Commander blanched.

“Did you say Director Markoff?”

“You really should report to sickbay and have that hearing problem looked at Commander. I have said too much already.” It was amazing the degree of fear Markoff’s name induced in the Var elite. Now that she’d brought up the specter of Markoff’s name she could use it to hide behind.

“Let me go and see if I can hurry the Captain up.” That was code for him to go and tell the Captain what she’d just said.

“Page me when he arrives.” She announced brusquely and killed the connection.

“Whew! You really laid it on thick there, Ma’am.”

“Not really. You don’t know the history behind the name of Markoff, or the power he holds.”

“Big wig is he?”

“Second only to the Emperor himself. His word is law.”

“Shit… excuse me. Damn, I wouldn’t want to cross him.”

“Neither would they.” She pointing up with her thumb. Why don’t you nip down to the galley and grab us a mug of coffee while we wait.”

“What if his nibs comes back on?”

“I’ll make him wait until I’m good and ready to lower myself to talk to him. The more pissed off they are, the more distracted they’ll be. And, more willing to believe the fairy story I’m about to feed them.”

“Better you than me, Ma’am.” Jack laughed as he headed down to the galley.”

Ellis hummed to herself while she waited. Having dealt with the current generation of high-ranking Var officers while she was part of the Tellurian military, she knew how inadequate most were to hold their positions. Many were either family members who’d gotten their position through nepotism, or bought their way in by paying off some senior officer. She doubted the Imperial Navy was any better. She often wondered what the original officer corps had been like, seeing as how they’d gone out and conquered a large swath of the galaxy. You didn’t do that with a bunch of ninnies like they had now. Several times the comm buzzed, but she ignored it. They weren’t about to shoot at an Imperial Corvette for no reason, especially once the name Markoff had been raised. From their point of view, that misbegotten low life Surl could be up to all sorts of nefarious things. Interfering with one of his operations could be very hazardous to one’s health. Jack clumped back onto the bridge and handed her a mug of coffee. Ellis took a sip and raised her eyebrows. Jack must have been paying attention in the mess, as there was just the right amount of cream and sweetener in it. He’d also been thoughtful enough to bring a napkin wrapped donut.

“Jack, are our tanks full?”

“Yes, Ma’am, they are.”

“Good. Take us up slowly until we are on the same level as him, and as close as you can.” Jack grinned and turned his seat back to face the controls. Ellis took a bite and tapped the comm key, carefully wiping her lips as the face of an older Var came up. From his expression he was mad that he’d been kept waiting by a mere Corvette Captain.

“Commander Pissoffski?” Ellis munched for a few seconds, then froze in mid bite and raised one eyebrow and looked down her nose at him.

“That’s Senior Commander Pissoffski to you. Who are you?”

“I’m Captain Var Lessco. Now what’s this nonsense about you being on a secret mission for…” The Captain actually gritted his teeth before he said Markoff’s name. “For Director Markoff?”

“I have said nothing about being on any mission for the Director.” Which was true, she hadn’t.

“Then why are you here?” He demanded.

“I could ask you the same question. The Director gave me no information about any imperial ships operating within my area of responsibility.”

“My orders are to sweep this area for smugglers and drug runners…”

“Odd that the Director would give me the same assignment.”

“I have my orders…”

“I’m not concerned with your orders, Captain Lessco is it? My orders are to destroy any and all unidentified ships along the border, no matter who they pretend to be.” Out of sight, Ellis clicked her fingers at Jack and pointed to the weapon console. Jack caught on and reached over to bring all weapons online.

“What…” He spluttered. “You can’t do that.” Ellis heard alarm bells ringing in the background. The Cruiser’s defense systems noted that the Corvette’s weapons were now hot and pointing at them.

“Unless you identify yourself and send me your authorization and clearance codes I will fire on you.” It was audacious and upped the ante even higher.

“What? That’s insane. You’re a Corvette… this is an Imperial Cruiser…” He spluttered eyeing the battle board. He noted the Corvette was far too close to launch torpedoes at, and he’d have to roll his ship to bring its main weapons to bear. Without him really noticing it, the Corvette had moved into the perfect position to fire its main weapons at his unprotected stern and his drive system.

Jack caught her eye by pointing at the odd console they couldn’t identify. It was now lit, with a bright red warning light flashing in the center. On impulse, Ellis switched to the main viewer so the Captain could see the whole of her bridge. She stood and walked over to the console and stood there with her finger over the pulsing red button.

“Either give me your authorization and clearance codes, or I’ll fire, Captain Var Lessco, or whatever your real name is.”

“Are you mad!” In answer, Ellis pressed the button.

She had no idea what to expect, but it wasn’t a beam of something that reached out and grazed, the hull of the Cruiser. Whatever the beam was, it tore off several armored plates and sent them spinning off into space.

“Wait - wait. Stop firing.” By the ashen expression on the Captain’s face, whatever the weapon was, it had torn through his shields as if they weren’t there. Corvettes don’t take on Cruisers, yet this one did.