“Happy to be on board. Just promise me that I get to fry a few BG at some point during this little adventure,” said the older Greeley.
And then Jolo went down to the storage area where the large group of former BG workers were still assembled.
Jolo told them the situation, and what they were going to try to do. “Any man, woman, or child who wants off this boat, can get off right now,” Jolo said. “We’ll give you as much food as we can and try to set you down as far away from any BG work sites as possible. Or you can stay with us. I'm not sure what’s going to happen from here on out. Our main concern now is to get past the patrols and get off this rock.”
The people looked around at each other, fear in their eyes. But they all decided to stay on board, even though the jump out might be their last.
……
Silas Filcher stood on the main deck of the Federation destroyer, Maurusen, and peered out the large view ports into the empty, blackness of space. There were four other gunboats and a cruiser in orbit above Qualus. He stood with both arms behind his back and the hint of a smile on his face. There was a beauty and coolness in the empty black void that reached out farther than his mind could comprehend.
This was a nothing mission and he knew it. This wasn't like fighting the BG before. This was just squashing a bug under his boot. But it still felt good. There was nowhere the little rat claiming to be his former captain could go. Eventually he had to come up and make a jump. He had to escape. By now he knew the BG cruiser was hunting him on the surface. Which left only one option: He’d have to come up. He’d try to make a quick jump but that’d be useless. The Fed boats will be on him the second he pops up.
“Commander, the BG cruiser has the Jessica on her scanners. Should I send a few gunboats down?”
“No. He will come to us. He has no other choice.”
“Begging your pardon, Commander, but are you sure? It is Jolo Vargas, Sir.”
“It is not Vargas! Question my orders again and I'll have you down in engineering scrubbing the lower level vent shafts.” The man slunk back to his chair.
Barthelme was a fool, thought Filcher. How could he have believed the little rat was truly Vargas, after he'd seen him die? But that didn't concern him. Barthelme had no ambition. And now he would spend his final days on a work planet.
Barthelme relied too much on his heart and not good sense.
That hint of a smile came back to Silas's lips. When the alliance was forming with the BG, fools like Barthelme stood against it. Some people just didn't see opportunity. But Silas had. A few words in the right ear and he had risen quickly.
He would bring the president this little synth rat. This creature the president worried needlessly about. It wasn't Vargas. But Silas would do his job as he always had, further cementing the trust the president had in him.
……
“Captain, we are in position,” said Katy.
“When is our window?” said Jolo.
“Two minutes,” she said.
“Koba, are your calculations good?” said Jolo.
“I hope so,” he said. “2.6 km should do the trick. We should have enough altitude, yet not so much to arouse the Federation ships. They’ll think we are coming but won’t expect us to jump early.”
“We've got to go now,” said Katy. “The BG cruiser is only about three minutes out.”
“Okay,” said Jolo. “Take us up.” He got on the comm and made an announcement to the whole ship. “We're about to make the jump. Find something to hold on to.”
Jolo called down to engineering. “Hurley, are you ready?”
“Yeah, I'm ready, Captain,” said the old man.
“Okay. Engage the warp drives on my command.”
Just then another BG cruiser popped up on Katy’s screen. “Captain,” she said, “there are now two BG cruisers and one is within range.”
“Koba, how soon until we have proper elevation?”
“42 seconds. But the eclipse window won't open until about a minute and 30 seconds from now.”
“Captain, the closest cruiser is locking on.”
“Katy, raise forward shields.”
“The BG cruiser's hailing us,” Katy said.
“Okay put them through.”
“Synthetic creature who calls himself Jolo Vargas. Land the stolen ship and the people aboard will live. You alone will die, though a synthetic being never truly lives, do they?”
“They said they would rather die than go with you,” said Jolo.
“It is a shame that a creature such as yourself would kill so many innocent human workers. And gaining altitude will not help you in a fight.”
Jolo gave Katy the signal to cut the comm.
“Koba, are we ready?”
“We are in position. But they're gonna know if we start to generate a warp field.”
……
Silas remained on the bridge of the Marusen, patient as ever, but his mind began to drift a few days into the future when he would give the president his little prize. The thought of it delighted him, though outwardly his face remained a scowl. Yes, he thought, the president was weak, but he could play that into his favor, could predict his moves, just like he guessed correctly that the weakling would sell the Fed out to the black menace. I’ll bring the synth in alive, he thought, and throw him at the feet of the Federation leader. Yes, that would be best.
His thoughts were interrupted by his comm officer: “Commander, the Jessica has gained altitude.”
“You're wasting my time,” he said.
“Well, sir, the Jessica is about 2.5 km above the surface.”
What is
