Jennings let out a sigh of relief. Then drew a breath to bark out orders. “Put out an emergency distress signal. Science, how long from the time we jumped until those ships showed up?”
“Twenty-one minutes thirty-seven seconds.”
“Navigation, what’s our location?”
“Umm.”
“This is not a time for Umm’s. Where are we?”
“We are in a disputed area of space. Wilson claims it as theirs and Langley claims as theirs. As there is nothing here the dispute has never been resolved.”
“Good, we are allied with Langley Corp. So, I don’t think this will be an issue.” Jennings paused a moment. “Okay this is something I can work with. Tell engineering I want to jump in ten minutes. I don’t care if it is only a couple of light years. Comms, the Lassiter should be patrolling near the Langley border. Contact them and tell Captain McBryan I need his help. Tell him we have a broken arrow.”
“Sir we have a jump window forming off the port bow.”
“Just one?”
“Yes Sir. From the size I’d say it is a battleship.”
“Red alert, all hands to battle stations.” Jennings leaned over and whispered to Rick, “I don’t think this is a Rossom ship, but I don’t want to be caught with my pants down.”
The ship emerged from the window. “Sir, that ship is from the Langley Corp. Captain Jenson is requesting to speak to you,” said the comms officer.
“Put him on.”
Before Jennings had a chance to say anything Jenson said, “Captain I came in response to a distress signal. Why do you have your weapons pointed at me?”
“Please forgive me Captain. Stand down Red alert.”
“With that said what is the problem?”
“We have been harassed by three heavy cruisers from Rossom Corp. I don’t know how they have been tracking us, but we expect them here in...” Jennings turned to look at the science officer.
“Seven minutes and thirteen seconds.”
Jennings turned back to Jenson. “In just over seven minutes. I could really use your help. I’m not asking you to defend us. But if you could stand by, I might be able to defuse the situation.”
“Captain,” said Jenson. “You are in my space. And I’ll be damned if anyone is going to fire on a ship in my space.”
“Thank you Captain. That will be a big help.”
“Sir we have another jump window forming.”
“Captain Jenson, I do believe that is a battleship I called for. One way or another this will end.”
“Just one thing,” said Jenson. “Let me shoot first.”
“You got a deal. Jennings out.”
“Sir, the Captain of the Lassiter wants to talk to you.”
“Put him on.”
“Damn Tom, it looks like you been beat up.”
“You could say that. We have been harassed by three Rossom ships. And we are expecting them to jump in at any time now.”
“Who is the Langley ship?”
“Captain Jenson. It seems like he doesn’t like Rossom at all. I told him that we’d let him shoot first.”
Mac laughed, “Well that would keep us out of trouble.”
“Sir we have three jump windows forming.”
“That would be them,” said Jennings.
“I’ll call you once it’s all over.” The screen changed to the three forming jump windows.
“Red alert. Shields up. Navigation put the Lassiter between us and the Rossom ships.”
“Sir, Captain Jenson is putting out a wide broadcast warning the Rossom ships to leave the area or be fired upon.”
“Put it on speakers,” said Jennings, “I want to hear this.”
“...I repeat. You have encroached on Langley airspace. You will leave now, or we will use deadly force to uphold the sovereignty of our nation.”
“Science,” said Jennings. “Are the Rossom ships leaving?”
“No Sir, they are assuming an attack posture.”
Jennings looked over at Rick. “What the hell is so important about Collier that Rossom is willing to go to war over him?”
Something clicked in Rick’s mind. “It’s what he knows. They are trying to kill him to keep him from talking to us.”
“Director you need to find out what he knows.”
“Sir, the Rossom ships have opened fired on the Langley ship. Captain Jenson is returning fire.”
Jennings continued. “I know you wanted me to get you home.”
“The Lassiter is moving in to assist.”
“Still I think you would be better off on the Lassiter. If they are coming after Collier you are going to need as much protection as possible.”
“Sir one ship destroyed one ship disabled. Correction two ships destroyed.”
Rick thought about what Jennings had just said. Maybe he was right. If Collier had such valuable information, perhaps it would be better to get home as soon as possible.
“Sir, the last ship jumped away. Before they jumped out they sent a text.”
“What did it say?”
“Three words. ‘Well played Thompson.’”
As one Rick and Jenson turned to look at each other. It was Jennings that spoke first. “They knew you were on board.”
Rick understood the implications but was trying to pass it off as a coincidence “Maybe because you took me to Rossom the thought I was still onboard.”
“I don’t think so,” said Jennings. “A diplomatic mission and a military mission are two different things. If it were me I would not assume that a high-level government official was on a military mission. No they had to know you were on board. I’m sorry Sir, no ifs ands or buts you and Collier are getting on the Lassiter.”
“Yeah. Okay,” said Rick knowing that it was the best thing.
“Sir we are getting transmissions from both ships.”
“Put them both on split screen.”
The faces of the two men appeared on the screen. Jenson was the first to speak. “Okay Captain would you mind telling me what that was all about?”
Rick knew ‘that’ was the battle just fought.
“Captains I’m sorry we are on a confidential mission. I’m sure you can understand that I can’t reveal the details.”
“Captain,” said Rick. “I think we should tell them the truth. They did just risk their lives for us.”
Jennings had the look of a man that thought it was a bad idea. However, he said, “It’s your show.”
Confusion showed on the faces of the two men that couldn’t understand why a civilian was giving orders to a captain on his own ship.
“I think I should introduce myself. My name is Rick Thompson. I am the newly appointed Director of the Legal Department.”
“That explains a lot,” said Mac. “But what are you doing out here?”
“We are on a mission to retrieve a wanted criminal. It seems like Rossom wanted the same man.”
“Who is the criminal? If I may ask?” said Jenson.
“Steve Collier.” Rick could not have created more of an effect even if he had dropped a bomb on the command deck. He could hear the crews of all three ships chattering back and forth.
“Knock it off!” yelled Jennings. Everyone was instantly silent. Then he continued. “I don’t think this is over. I’m going to need the help from the both of you. Mac, I can’t give you orders, but I need you to take the Director and his prisoner back to Anteagen. Captain Jenson, if you could, I need you to escort me back to the nearest base. To get some repairs done. What do you say?”
“Standing by for transport,” said Mac.
Jenson said, “I don’t know if I can do that. I would need to contact the base in the area for permission. However, I can stand by until you get another ship out here.”
“I think that would be workable. Thank you gentlemen, you have been a big help. Jennings out.” The view of the men winked out and was replaced with the sight if the wreckage of the Rossom ships. Jennings turned to his first officer and said, “Get the prisoner ready for transport.”
“Well,” said Rick. “So much for the cease fire.”
“Yeah,” said Jennings. “It was never going to last.”
“What makes you say that?”
“With Nash stirring everything up, and Collier staging a revolution, no matter what we did we were heading for war. There is too much bad blood between the two Corp’s.”
“You may be right,” said Rick with a sigh.
“You better get your stuff and get the CEO’s shuttle back to him.”
“Yes Sir,” said Rick like one of the crew. To Rick, Jennings deserved respect. After what they had just been through he deserved Rick’s respect. “Thank you Captain.”
“You are welcome. It was a pleasure having you on board.”
Rick turned and left on his way back to the guest quarters, Rick thought about the situation with Collier. Why was Rossom so determined to have him, or have him dead? What was it that Collier knew that was having Rossom willing to go to war?
Collier was willing to talk but not on the record. Why was that important? The more questions he asked the more it made no logic at all. He decided to put all those thoughts away. He would get his answers soon enough.
He went into his quarters and Bannic was sitting there. “Well, is the shooting over?”
“For the moment,” said Rick. “Get your stuff together, we are going home.”
“I must say that I’m glad to hear that.” Bannic looked like a kid that had too much of an adventure and was glad to be going home. Rick had to remind himself that it was probably not too far from the truth.
“Bring our things to the flight deck. I’m going to check on our prisoner.”
Rick left the room and then realized that he didn’t know where the brig was. He saw a crewman pass by. “Excuse me, can you please tell me where the brig is?”
“Yes Sir. If you would just follow me, I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you.” As Rick said it the crewman cocked his head and gave him a strange look. It was as if the crewman was pleasantly surprised. Without a word he turned and lead the way to the brig.
In a way he was glad. It was about time for the Directors to show some manners. Then he thought about Collier. Whatever he had seen or knew had humbled him. Somewhat. They were taking Collier out of his cell when Rick walked in.
“Sir, the prisoner is ready for transport.”
Rick stepped in front of Collier. “You say trust my word. How Can I trust yours?”
“Right now you are the only one that wants to keep me alive.”
“Alright. I’m going to show you the same trust you showed me.” Rick turned to the security officer. “Take the cuffs off of him.”
“Sir I have my orders that those cuffs come off once he is in the brig on the Lassiter.”
“I see, who gave you those orders?”
“I did,” said Jennings from behind Rick.
Rick looked at Jennings. “Take whatever other security measures you feel are necessary but take the cuffs off. He’s a businessman not a soldier. Technically he is still a Director of Wilson.”
“Take the cuffs off,” said Jennings. “If he tries anything shoot him in the knees.” Then he turned to Collier. “It will be painful, but it will not kill you.”
“Yes,” said Rick. “But you are not going to try anything are you Steve?” Rick knew that by using his first name he was stripping Collier of rank and title.
“Oh no. I have nowhere else to go.”
Rick turned to Jennings. “You see, we can trust him.” Then he left the brig followed by Collier and security. As they made their way to the shuttle Rick thought about how to get the information from Collier.
As they entered the shuttle Rick went up to talk to the piolet. “Is there any way I could talk to the Captain of the Lassiter?”
“Sure thing,” as the connection was being made Rick was thinking about what to say. “The Captain is on.”
“Mac I need a favor please.”
“What can I do for you Sir?”
“I need you to sweep my quarters for any listening devices or cameras please.”
“Director I can assure you that there are no such devices in our guest quarters.”
“Captain. I don’t truly believe that there are. Would you please do it anyway. I would be grateful.” Rick said this loud enough for Collier to hear it in the back of the shuttle.
“Yes Sir, it will be done before you arrive.”
“Thank you Thompson out.”
Rick went to the back and sat next to Bannic across from Collier and the two security guards. “I have secured us a place to have our conversation.”
“Yes I’ve heard.” Collier looked thoughtful for a moment. “Can I give you some advice about being a director?”
Rick really didn’t want to hear this, but he thought it might loosen Collier up a bit. “Sure, go ahead.”
“You are now a Director. You are not supposed to say please and thank you to people for doing their jobs.”
“Yeah, so I’ve been told. But you know what, I find the directors to be the rudest group of people that I’ve ever met in my life. I’ll tell you this, loyalty comes from mutual respect. If it comes from money, then it’s up to the highest bidder.”
“Yeah, I’ve been burned on that a few times.” Collier looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe that is part of the change that needs to come.”
“What change?”
“Not here, not yet.”
“Sir,” said the piolet. “We are coming in for a landing now.”