# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Jason Self # SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later # # You can redistribute and/or modify this story under the terms of the # GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software # Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any # later version. # # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public # License along with this story. If not, see # . ==== The Escape ==== "I'll go first," Eldar said as he moved past me. "Follow right behind." Eldar and I hustled down a corridor of the Chyufõũ̯ in our stolen flight suits, hoping against hope that this crazy plan might work out. All that was left was to get through the ship's hold and onto the flight deck. We had no choice but to take this route; any other would have too much risk of detection. But, unfortunately, we couldn't just get into one of their fighters and take off. The Xẽĩians would detect our unauthorized launch and send fighters to recapture us. Or worse. We were both armed with small hand weapons, which probably weren't much use against the Xẽĩian soldiers but were better than nothing. Our only advantage was surprise and speed. Eldar turned at the next intersection and sprinted down another passage. I followed him, keeping my eyes peeled for any sign of movement or activity but nothing seemed amiss. Finally, after several minutes of running without incident, Eldar stopped abruptly and gestured ahead. A group of four Xẽĩian soldiers walked by at the end of the corridor, each carrying a weapon. Two of them were chatting about something, while the other two appeared to be scanning the walls with a device. They didn't notice either of us as they passed. It looked like it was all clear. We hurried down the corridor until we reached a ladder leading up to an open hatchway. Eldar took a quick look around before climbing up and disappearing inside. I followed him, moving quickly to keep from being noticed. I found myself standing in a large room filled with equipment and supplies when I heard Xẽĩian voices coming from somewhere deeper within the compartment. "Stay low and keep your eyes open," Eldar warned. "The hatch to the hold is not far from here." Eldar's expression became grim when the voices started moving in our direction. He frantically gestured to a large storage crate near the back wall. "Over there!" he whispered. We climbed into the storage crate, huddled together in the dark space, breathing heavily. "Stay quiet and don't move," he whispered. His voice sounded strained. "What are you doing?" I asked. "We can't stay here. If they find us--" "I know what I'm doing," he hissed angrily. I felt foolish for interrupting him. He had seemed so confident and calm when he had suggested this crazy idea at the beginning. Now, though, I could see that he was nervous. It made my heart sink. I wanted to say something to reassure him but wasn't sure what. So instead, I pulled Eldar close. I could feel his body trembling violently and realized that he was terrified. "It's okay," I whispered. "I'm right here." He took a deep breath and nodded. "If they find us, they'll kill us," he whispered. I knew that even if we could make it to the flight deck without being found, the chances of escaping were slim. But, still, it was better than staying aboard the ship. "This is the best chance we've got," I tried to reassure him. "This will give us a chance to escape." After several long moments, the Xẽĩians approached the storage crate. I remained silent and tried to relax but thought I recognized one of the soldiers from earlier. They walked by without even slowing down as they continued their conversation. I exhaled slowly and let out a sigh of relief. I looked over at Eldar, whose face was tense. He nodded and gave me a thumbs-up. "Good," I replied. "Let's get out of here." Eldar nodded. "Okay," he said. "Here goes nothing." He opened the crate, and we scrambled out. We ran forward and around a corner, making sure to keep quiet. At the far end of the corridor, there was a large hatch with a control panel on the side. We ran up to the hatch, and Eldar punched the control panel beside the door. There was a click, and the door slid open. Eldar rushed inside. I followed close behind. We were on the upper level of the ship's hold. The first thing I noticed when entering was the smell. The stink of unwashed bodies, unwashed clothes, and unwashed hair, along with the tang of vomit and urine, hung in a heavy cloud over the hold like an old friend that had not seen me for years. The room was dark, illuminated only by dull red lighting. It was full of people, but there didn't seem to be any order to their positions. I could see them shuffling around, huddled together in little groups, or else sitting alone on the deck plates as if they were afraid to touch anyone lest they catch something. "Come on," said Eldar, tugging at my sleeve. "Let's keep going. We're almost there." He walked towards one of the airlocks that would take us onto the flight deck. He went through the airlock ahead of me, then turned back and waited for me to follow. I looked down into the hold again. A man sat by himself against one wall, his head buried in his hands. Two women sat close together on another flooring section, whispering between themselves. One was crying softly. "How many?" I asked. Eldar shrugged. "A few hundred? More than a few." I stood in silence for a moment, watching the people below me. The wounded had gone to the medical bays. Those who weren't hurt, or at least not severely, made their way here. Some were moving slowly about the hold. Others were sitting still, staring blankly at nothing. I imagined how it must feel when you've lost everything as the world's destroyed. When the only home you knew was gone, and everyone you loved died. I saw a man move away from the group and turn towards the far end of the hold. As he moved closer to the bulkhead, the light caught his face, turning it gray, and his skin seemed loose on his skull, sagging under the weight of age. He reached the corner and disappeared from view. "Samnang!" Eldar whispered loudly, standing at the airlock. "Over here! Come on." I followed him through the airlock, stepping out onto the flight deck, and Eldar closed the hatch behind us. We both looked around, taking in our new surroundings. We were standing on an expansive flight deck with four massive wings jutting out either side of the hull to my left and right. Each held eight hangars, each hangar holding up to six fighters. I looked down at the deck. The metal plating was torn and buckled in places, scorched and covered in soot. I could see the starfield beyond the ship's hull directly ahead at the front of the flight deck. Behind me, at the rear of the flight deck, a ramp led up to the ship's main body. I could hear faint sounds from inside, echoing off the walls, but otherwise, the flight deck was silent. "Where are the pilots?" I asked. Eldar shook his head. "Not here yet. They'll come soon enough." "So, what do we do now?" "Now we wait." ==== The Hauler's Last Stand ==== A series of explosions rocked the Hauler from bow to stern, ripping through the armor plating and blasting into the interior. Captain Funanya Chizoba lurched forward in her command chair on the bridge but the restraints kept her from flying out of it. Emergency lights flashed on as the lights went out, casting shadows across her face. Her heart raced. "Report!" she barked. The comm officer shook his head silently. "Not good. That missile breached the starboard hold," he said. "We're venting atmosphere. Damage Control is responding to seal it, but we've lost power in sections two through five, and life support's down shipwide." The initial group of fighters had still been several minutes away when Chizoba had seen the first explosion. It was a small blast, right on the tail of the convoy. The bright flash lit up the window's view, and Chizoba saw the shapes of the fighters emerging from the explosion. She glanced at the tactical display and saw the fighters had launched missiles. They'd targeted the closest ship and destroyed it. It also reported that the rest of the convoy was accelerating hard. They were now trying to escape and get clear of the battle. The Xẽĩians must have spotted the convoy and thought they'd hit a military target, she thought. But the convoy had been civilian. The pilots must have been confused. Perhaps they hadn't expected civilian ships to be armed. Or maybe they didn't know there were civilians on board. Either way, the convoy's escorts returned fire. Several smaller vessels were also equipped with rail guns and assisted. Still, the Hauler's defensive weapons weren't up to the task as a cargo ship. "What are our options?" Chizoba asked. "Our weapons won't work against those fighters," the sensor operator said. "And we can't outrun them." Chizoba looked to the screen. The fighters were closing rapidly. Several lead ships were crippled or destroyed, but most smaller vessels were still intact. Several were dropping their cargo and starting to accelerate. They were trying to break contact with the enemy. Chizoba wanted to do the same; she knew the odds of surviving the encounter were slim, especially without power or life support. "The Chyufõũ̯ is launching another round of fighters," the sensor operator reported. Chizoba cursed under her breath. "Where?" At the back of the bridge, the sensor operator pressed a few buttons. Finally, the display revealed the Hauler and the convoy in the center, surrounded by the Chyufõũ̯ and its fighters. "We have multiple contacts approaching at high speed," she said. "Holy shit," she whispered. She looked down at herself, then back to the screen. Her chest armor had cracked open during the explosion, and now blood oozed out between the buckles. Chizoba took in the entirety of the display and saw they had less than ten minutes before the next round of fighters reached them. Chizoba bit her lip. The Hauler was heavily damaged, and without power, she doubted it would make much difference even if she tried to attack. She turned towards the rear of the bridge and saw the sensor operator staring back at her. Blood covered the woman's face, and her left arm hung limp at her side. She looked like she was about to faint. Chizoba scrambled over to her as she fell backward onto the deck, hitting her head against the edge of the sensor console behind her. Her eyes rolled up into her skull, and she went still. Chizoba knelt next to her. She pressed two fingers against her neck, checking for a pulse but nothing. "Dammit," she cursed under her breath. She turned back to the tactical display and saw the fighters accelerating towards them from the rear of the convoy. The lead ships peeled away toward them. The enemy ships increased their speed in response, and one of them was coming right for the Hauler. Chizoba cursed as another missile slammed into the rear section. This time, the explosion was much more significant. The Hauler shuddered violently, and her heart skipped a beat. She felt the deck shift beneath her feet and looked down to see the fuel line had ruptured. Fuel was pouring out onto the deck. She looked to the front of the bridge and saw the remains of what used to be the comm officer's station. It was twisted and bent where it had slammed into the wall. Sprawled out amongst the wreckage were several bodies. One of them was missing an arm. Chizoba made her way to the navigator's console, strapped herself in, and put the Hauler into a tight turn toward a nearby planet. The engines whined loudly, and she felt the G-forces pushing her back. The ship rose quickly, then dropped sharply. She steadied it and brought the vessel into level flight just as another missile hit the Hauler. The sudden movement sent some debris flying, and Chizoba blacked out as it hit her. She woke later, lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Still strapped into the chair, her head aching badly. She tried to move her legs and found she couldn't. Something heavy was lying across them. She pushed against the straps holding her in place and managed to free one arm. She tugged at the other, and it came loose. The navigator's console trapped her legs beneath its bulk. She strained to pull them free without success. "Help me!" she yelled. "Someone help me!" but there was no response. She struggled to free herself and eventually succeeded after several minutes of working. Chizoba stood up and stumbled over to the wall, grabbed the emergency oxygen cylinder, and twisted the valve. She sucked in the gas and held it for several seconds. She felt the pain in her head recede slightly, and she drew in another lungful of air. She felt lightheaded and dizzy. She dropped back onto the chair and stared at the remains of the navigator's console. She leaned forward and punched the comm. "This is Captain Chizoba. I'm alive and unharmed. Anyone still alive, please respond." There was no answer. She tried again but still nothing. She knew the odds of finding anyone alive were slim. She stood up, walked over to a window, and looked out. Several of the ships were still fighting, but most were gone. Instead, she could see the shapes of the fighters circling overhead. They seemed to be waiting for something. "They're not targeting us anymore," Chizoba thought. "It's too late for that." She made her way over to the remains of the communications station, pausing for a moment to think of all of the years of good memories aboard the Hauler. She flipped a transparent plastic cover and pressed a button that, in all her years in space, she never imagined pressing. Then the alarm to abandon ship began to sound. She ran to the door, pulling it open. The corridor beyond was filled with smoke and debris, reeking of burning plastic and insulation. She coughed violently and stumbled forward, heading aft. The smell of burnt flesh was overwhelming. Broken equipment and pieces of metal littered the area. She arrived in the shuttle bay. Several bodies lay scattered among the wreckage. Some were wearing EVA suits, others not. All of them were charred black and twisted grotesquely. Chizoba moved closer to one of the larger pieces of debris and saw a hand sticking out from underneath. She reached down and pulled it free. It was human-sized but mangled beyond recognition. A piece of a suit clung to the skin; Chizoba threw it aside and found another body. This one wore an EVA suit, but it was torn open, and the helmet had been blown clear. Whoever this person was, they were dead. Chizoba made her way towards the nearest shuttle. She leaped inside and started punching buttons. The craft's systems came online, and its thrusters fired. The shuttle shot upwards, bouncing off the top of the shuttle bay before swinging back down and slamming into the deck. Chizoba kept firing the thrusters until the shuttle's momentum finally carried it out of the shuttle bay. She watched the bay doors close and lock. Looking back, the damage to the ship was extreme. It was still on course for the planet, but she knew the Hauler would never fly again. She kept the shuttle steady and flew away from the Hauler. Then Chizoba looked out the window and saw other shuttles heading away from the battle, flying low and fast. A few shuttles were trailing fire and smoke, but most were intact. "Everyone follow me!" Chizoba yelled into the comm. "We'll regroup at that planet." She looked down at the nav screen, tapped the controls and the shuttle banked hard to port in the direction of the planet. A Xẽĩian fighter unexpectedly appeared beneath her. Chizoba pulled back on the controls. She heard the sound of a loud boom, and the shuttle rocked wildly. She caught a brief glimpse of the hull before the shuttle flipped end over end and tumbled out of control. Chizoba fought to regain control, but it was hopeless. The shuttle spun wildly, and she lost sight of everything outside the windows. Finally, she saw the canopy strike something and shatter. Then the shuttle hit the ground. ==== Harlan: Thief, Resistance Operative==== Jake looked down at the carpet under his feet. "No. He protected me with his body. I lived because he took the force of the blast." His eyes roamed up the wall, seeing a time years ago and miles away. "When the Guard came around to see if everyone was dead, I unfocused my eyes like you taught me. Remember? And lay limp. I had enough blood on me to look realistic." "Someone poked me in the side with a gun. It hurt, but I managed to stay limp. They went on." His gaze met Harlan's. "I lay there for a long time." His eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "My dad and me - we didn't get along well. Part of it was the Resistance. He believed. I thought it was bullshit." Running his hand through his hair, he said "We argued, sometimes to the point of throwing punches. I couldn't sway him. And I was too stubborn to open my eyes." He chuckled, a laugh with no humor in it. "Boy, did I ever have my eyes yanked open that night." Looking at Harlan, he said "If I had twitched, they would have shot me dead. Even though I was supposedly on their side." He hung his head down and shook it. "Shit! I was dumb." "I think I lay there, between the cold floor and the cooling body of my father, for at least an hour. At one point I started crying. Crying like I had no tomorrow. And I didn't. I had no idea what to do, where to go." Still with his head hanging, he said "The reason I survived had nothing to do with my skill or knowledge. The Resistance came. I was crawling out from under Dad at that point and was trying to get to my feet." He smiled grimly. "I was as stiff as Dad was becoming." "Three men suddenly appeared - like out of thin air. One was Santorini. I didn't know the other two." He sighed. "They obviously knew me. One spoke up. He wanted to kill me. Santorini looked at me, covered in my father's blood, tears streaking down my face, one leg still stuck under the corpse. He shook his head and had them bring me along." "For days, I slept or lay staring at the ceiling. I didn't eat much. I didn't think much. Thinking was far too painful. I just lay on the bed in a fog." He smiled then, a genuine smile. "Finally Santorini's daughter, Emerald, came into the room. I wasn't dead, so I noticed her. Brilliant green hair and eyes and a smile that would light up the world. She kicked me out of bed, forced me to dress, and dragged me back to the land of the living." Harlan smiled. "I think I've met her." "At the Big House?" Harlan nodded. "Yeah. She's been undercover there for a couple of years." He leaned back. "I don't like it. Hell. I hate it. But she's a big girl and can do what she wants. I'm just her husband." "You're married to that witch?" "Yeah. Ain't she great?" Harlan grinned. "Hell, yeah." Harlan and Jake began to laugh. Mellie stared at them. "What's so funny?" Harlan managed to say. "You'll have to meet her." When he had controlled his laughter, Harlan said "You'll have to forgive me if I don't trust you implicitly yet, Jake. I'll let Santorini okay you." Keeping their phasers centered on Jake's back, Harlan and Mellie herded him out the door and into the garage, boarding a two seater AirScooter. Mellie sat on Harlan's lap and guided the machine. Fifteen minutes of discomfort and crowding later, they arrived at the Green Palace. Santorini met them at the front door. He didn't even look at Harlan or Mellie. He went straight to Jake and hugged him, holding the younger man tightly for a moment. When the Boss stepped back, Harlan could see tears in the eyes of both men. Harlan shrugged and put his phaser away. Looking at Mellie, he saw that she was smiling and had already holstered her weapon. Santorini brought Jake over to them. He started to introduce Jake, but they all interrupted, saying that they had indeed met. The Boss said "Oh, yeah. That's right. Thank you for not killing or maiming him. Emerald would kill all of us." Mellie looked at Santorini and asked "You got any more daughters, Boss?" "Yeah. Two more. Why?" Mellie shook her head. "Nevermind." Jake carried a message from Cassidy. Cassidy could see what was about to happen on his world and he wanted to be on the winning side. By his calculations, the Resistance would win. He would be throwing all the resources of the Syndicate behind the rebels. There were stipulations, of course, including a full pardon for every man or woman who fought for freedom. Cassidy wanted that pardon. He had set up a legitimate business several years ago, importing fashionable clothes from New Dessel where they were made with cheap labor. To his credit, he had insisted that all of his workers be paid at least a good wage by New Dessel standards. He also managed to get them good health care coverage and even two weeks vacation. They were basically indentured servants so he forgave fifty percent of their debt and released them when the rest was paid off. He even rehired them at a significant increase in wages. All of this could be done on New Dessel and still save him money. He wanted to move to New Dessel and continue his reforms, but he needed to be free of his past. Going straight was complicated. Cassidy also foresaw the need for their armories to be updated. He had done that for the Syndicate. He offered the Resistance the same advances - at a discount, of course. Cassidy was giving them a good deal. If they could trust him. Jake thought Cassidy was sincere. He wanted to be a hero for a change. And to make money at it. Jake said he could almost hear the cheering of the crowds when Cassidy talked about his dreams. The Boss agreed to meet with the would-be hero. Each would bring their most trusted associate and no one else. They would all be armed. That was understood. Trust only stretches so far.