Randolph Lalonde: Fragments

“We’re dispatching security and rescue ships right now. We were expecting you. My orders are to safely conduct the crew of the Triton and any passengers to the Tamber moon.”

“We’re safe aboard the Triton, in fact we have repair crews aboard who can begin work right away.”

“My orders stand, Commander. Please ready your crew and passengers for transport. You have ten minutes.”

“Stand by while I consult my command team,” Oz said with a note of finality before ending the communication.

Ashley tried not to look dismayed, David and Nerine did a good enough job at looking shocked for everyone. They look so tired, she kept thinking. Zoe had quieted down a little, but was still content to swing from her hands, her feet reaching up to touch the seat of the nearest chair. “What do we do Oz?” Ashley asked quietly.

“I’m going to talk to Jason before making a decision. Be ready to move.”

Oz watched from the flight control deck beneath the main bridge as one of the large armed Carthan troop transports docked with the emergency port. They had just finished clean up, and several crew members were performing repairs on the consoles. “Another ambush, is it Tuesday already?” Oz said quietly.

“No, this sounds political,” Jason replied over their encrypted connection. “I knew this was a possibility, especially in a military port. If Jake’s been declared a war criminal…”

“Then this ship is a legitimate capture, even if he’s on the same side as the Carthans. Minh didn’t say anything about any of the other ships getting taken. Wouldn’t they be captured under the same terms?”

“They weren’t taken from a Sol System military base. They can seize this ship under rights given by a whole different law book.”

“So, what you’re saying is we don’t have a legal leg to stand on.”

“Not at the moment. How are our military options looking?”

“We don’t have any. We’re in range of enough firepower to slag half a moon, and I can see at least one long range interdiction array from where I’m standing.”

“We’ve got the Enforcer all to ourselves though. We just have to claim it under the right privateering licence. Minh’s dispatch said our licence was under Ayan. The Enforcer needs major electrical work, they burned out the controls and her operating software has been wiped. Oh, and her reactors would have to be completely rebuilt.”

“What you’re saying is we’ve got an over sized pressurized box.”

“Exactly. It’s an intact box though, without much structural damage.”

“Life support?”

“Emergency systems have a couple days left in them, but I don’t know much beyond that. I’m bringing Frost into this conversation.”

“We turning tail?” Frost said as soon as he knew he could be heard.

Agameg came into the lower bridge and surveyed the room with a sweeping glance. Technicians who were quietly listening in on the conversation were turning away from their work. People who were removing refuse stopped where they were and put their loads down quietly. The issyrian’s eyes narrowed to slits and fixed on Oz, who wished he would be giving everyone better news. “No, we’re leaving Triton temporarily while we get things sorted out.”

“Sounds like you’re letting a bunch of bureaucrats tell us we can’t stand on the deck of our own ship. I’m speaking for everyone when I say-“

“Can it, Frost,” Oz said firmly.

“Now you wait just-“

“Look out a window, shut your hole and use your brain for one second. This is a fight you can’t win with a gun.”

“What if Captain Valance is on his way here right now? What if he’s got something no one’s thought of, he’s done it more than once.”

“If he’s not on comms, then he probably doesn’t know we’re here. Besides, it looks like the warrant they have out for him is why we’re being ordered to abandon ship. What we need are solutions, so tell me how the systems aboard the Enforcer look, please?” Oz asked forcefully.

“On the Enforcer? They’re fine if you’re looking for scrap, but I wouldn’t even try to turn the main electrical board on, and we detonated a high powered EMP right in the middle of their reactor room. Where’s Chief Grady?”

“The Botanical Gallery. He’s been controlling Triton’s main power systems from there.”

“Well, that explains a bit.”

“Would you move people onto the Enforcer?” Asked Jason.

“I wouldn’t move my Aunt Elaine aboard, and she’s a crotchety bitch. What we didn’t tear up disabling this boat was ripped apart by her crew before they abandoned her.”

“So much for plan B. Jason, get something ready to transmit to Carthan authorities so we can lay a claim on the Enforcer.”

“Already done, and I have a rough appeal for possession of the Triton ready to go. It’s all on your comm.”

“All right, I’m sending a notification to all sections to get ready to evacuate.”

“You could lose the crew over this, Oz,” Frost warned.

“Not if I have you and all the other commands backing me.” Agameg nodded his acceptance as Oz said the words. He had taken command of the liberated slaves, and it was all Oz could do to hope that they would all follow the cunning issyrian. “I need you to be in line with this,” Oz appealed to Frost.

“Aye, on one condition. We come back. We bled for her, we earned her.”

Oz hadn’t known Frost long, but he was absolutely certain that committing to that promise would define his purpose until he delivered. “You have my word.”

“All right, my people will fall in line.”

“Oh, and Frost; make sure everyone knows, if it isn’t nailed down, we take it with us. Now extract your people from the Enforcer, get anyone who can crawl in a loader suit set up in one and start loading everything you can find into containers. Start with guns and ammo.”

“Oz, shouldn’t we start with survival gear?” Jason asked.

“Everyone else can work on survival gear. Guns will trade faster than anything else we take with us.”

“Good point. I’ll pass the word to the commands. You start bargaining for more time with the Carthans.”

It took everything Ashley had to keep the tears at bay as Larry showed her how to activate the Triton’s evacuation systems. Throughout the ship directions to the main hangar and operational docking points would appear on the floors. No one could get most of those automated assistance systems working while they were aboard the ship, and the fact that she was just learning about them as they were about to leave was almost too much to take. Zoe was back in her arms again, she knew something was going on, and silently looked from one person to the next.

If it weren’t for her, Ashley knew she’d be in pieces. David and Nerine had already gone to inform everyone of what was going on. She could hear them packing everything they could find in the medical bay onto rolling chairs, gurneys and into the few crates they had at hand.

“I’m not staying this time,” Larry whispered to Ashley as he finished his tutorial. Wherever the ship had emergency power there would be arrows and written instructions guiding everyone to docking ports or hangar decks. Carthan transports were already linking with the ship, and the first people they took were the captured Regent Galactic contracted soldiers.

“I thought this ship was your assignment?”

“She is, but I can learn a lot more by going to ground with your people.”

“Spying on us is more important than staying with the Triton? ”

“It’s hard to explain, Ashley. Citadel’s instructions to someone like me, so far away from the council, are layered. There’s a whole list of priorities to consider. I don’t know if you’d understand.”