Chapter 3

The small fleet dropped into sector twelve unannounced the next day.

The HQ traffic controller jumped in surprise when his control board lit up and started beeping at him. He quickly checked the IFF and saw that the ships belong to the home fleet. Using fleet frequency, he hailed the ships.

“This is Fleet Admiral Yager on board the EOH ship Falcon. I need docking clearances immediately!” The Admiral looked really pissed.

This was way, way beyond the traffic controllers pay grade, so he sent out the clearances. “Someone is about to have a bad day,” he thought to himself.

The fleet consisted of one of the new battleships, a cruiser, and five destroyers. It certainly looked formidable. As he watched, six armored troop transports left the ships and headed for the Fleet station. Leaving formation, the five destroyers began a CAP (constant air patrol) around the inner sector. Protecting an Admiral looked like it was serious business!

Six transports soon docked with the station. A quickly formed honor guard was waiting for them.

Governor Buckley had hastily dressed and arrived almost too late. Buckley growled at his chief of staff “Why didn’t I know the Admiral was coming? Did you not get a notice? You are supposed to be on top of things like this! Why else am I paying you!”

“Sir, the Admiral sent no notice. We received nothing, not a single communique. I have no idea why he is here. There must be something serious going on for him to bring that much firepower with him!”

The transports unsealed, and the hatches opened up. Off first was the Admiral’s security team. Six very scary troopers in assault gear exited and took up firing positions around the entrance to the ship. At some unknown signal, the admiral and his staff exited. Just behind the admiral were two ESS agents.

The ESS was the special police that answered only to the Senate and the Chairman of the Empire.

“Holy Shit, Governor! Why are they here? Whatever this is, it must be a huge threat to the Empire!”

The Governor nodded he looked at his staff telling them “ Whatever these agents need, supply it to them. They answer only to the Senate. Give them everything that they need.”

Before the Governor cto the only to theould step forward and greet the party, the agents interrupted him. “Excuse us, Governor?”

Buckley paused in mid-step and asked, “yes?”

“We are placing you and your entire staff under arrest.”

“What! How dare you. I am the Governor of this sector! What in the hell are the charges?”

“The charges are attempted murder and treason.” The agent signaled the Admiral.

The other five transports opened, and several hundred armored combat Marines marched out.

“We are declaring military martial law and taking command of this station in the name of the Senate. Admiral Yager is now in charge of operations here.”

Two squads of Marines followed the agents as they entered the station. The lead agent pointed at one of the station guards, who was standing there with his mouth open.

“Where are the holding cell and the brig located at?”

I was not having a good week.

After the ordeal of the past three days, I was tired, hungry, and cold. The pain was almost unbearable.

Checking my link, it had been more than 30 hours since I last saw one of the guards.

I tried yelling, but the room is soundproof.

Another beating from the guards would be nice right about now. At least with the waterboarding, I would get some water. I’m having trouble sitting up, and the pain in my arms has gotten worse since the fight.

Maybe they intend to starve me to death?

Wilson chimed in whispering into my ear “Hold on Athena, help is coming.”

At least I think that was Wilson. I’ve been slipping in and out of consciousness all day. Hearing the door open I looked up.

“If she’s dead, it’s the death penalty for all of you! By all that is holy! What have you been doing to her?”

Two men in a uniform that I didn’t recognize entered the room. “I want a medical team in here NOW!”

At that point, I fell over and passed out.

Awakened by the sharp pain in my ribs, I heard voices and loud beeping.

“... nurse, I need 3 units of whole blood ... get a hemostat up here ... she’s seizing, hold her ...” and I passed out again.

When I awoke again, I was in a white room, this must be sick bay. Once again, I could hear voices. Someone was yelling.

“Dammit, I’m not telling you again. Lock up every security guard on this station! I want everyone that had anything to do with THAT locked up!”

Feeling the drugs kick in I passed out again. I awoke in a haze. Checking my link, several days had passed me by. The monitors must have alerted them as a doctor, and those strangely uniformed men entered the room.