Bell looked at Halbman and said “Earth. The new treaty is to nbe negotiated after Earths first contact. The Resenchi are going to try to get there first. Aubnu, I need a secure link to Counsil 4.”
Halbman looked shocked saying. “Counsil 4 isn’t that a major jump in protocol.”
“We have a leak Halbman. That calls for a next level call.” Bell said then turned to the vid screen that appeared. “Sonchal, I need the full Counsil. Protocol 6VH5116044O.WX.1”
Sonchal, a rep tech for the off world Counsil business, looked a little put out. “ Full Counsil isn’t called by local system accounts. I’m sorry I will transfer you to the local Marshall.”
“I am the local Marshall. That’s why I used the protocol.” Bell said confused.
“Local Marshall for the Pendical system is Marshall Poon Bisaca. Protocol # registers for Bell Andrisican deceased.” Sonchal said.
Bell grunted. “Protocol 1-644/83RLLs/461.10.166.”
Sonchel’s jaw dropped on the screen. He looded ready to respond when he was replaced by the Counsil chamber. A new voice cam on the line before the screen was filled with a face. “Compremised? Really Bell?”
“He said I was dead and calling from an off books system.” Bell stated.
The face on the screen frowned. “Right compromised. What’s going on Marshal Andrisican?”
“The situation is worse than originally thought Counsel Hoge Tu. The Mars station has been derailed all communicationout is controlled. Hoosier Fear has an illegal PRD, a living fear slime, and backing form the Resenchi.” Bell stated in his best justice voice.
“Great, what do they want?” Hoge Tu asked then shook his head. “Don’t! I already know. This is a bigger breach than expected.”
“Hoosier Fear is top priority for you Andrisican. I’ll handle things from here. We’ll push through the Earth Protection. Then we can halt any agreements. Good luck.” Hoge Tu ended the transmission leaving a mildly amused Marshall.
“Well it looks like we’re hunting Fear for war crimes now.” Halbman said while he typed coordinates into his arm log.
Elsa looked to Halbman. “What were you hunting him for before?”
“Theft! High Class Warstars” Bell said matter of factly.
Sonchal laughed. “You’d think the theft of Warstars would mean war crimes. But the ships are not classed classed high enough for that.”
“Do you have trackers set?” Halbman asked pointing out a blip on the track screen he’d pulled up.
“No.” Sonchal shook her head. “Never had the chance.”
Bell followed the blip on his wrist display. “It’s a warship tracker. He’s coming to us.”
Sonchal grabbed Elsa’s arm. “You’ve just been drafted. Grab the bag over there and follow me.”
Elsa looked to Adrisican and Halbman confused with a bit of fear mixed in. She grabbed the bag and ran to catch up with Sonchal.
Halbman smiled, “Now what?”
Adrisican opened the door to the restricted sections. “Prepare Weapons. Sonchal and Elso went to ge the main ship moving but that warstar will be here before she can lift off.”
Halbman followed Andrisican to the gunports.
Bell dropped into the Marshall top tank rack gun seat. He checked the specs switched to the land weapons ready for a quick switch to air current laser and open space if needed then waited.
Three minutes to intercept!
The ship shook preparing for ground off.
Bell could feel the ship shift and whirr.
Two minutes to intercept!
He double checked the settings and weapons ammo for the ground seekers.
The weapons pod slid out to fire position.
One Minute to intercept!
Bell heard the target alarm and fired.
The old Marshall ship rocked as the all tank shield was hit with minimizer missiles. The effect tilted the ship for a moment when the missile found a in the shield. Bell switched fire from ground to air current lasers and fired again.
Smoke from the port pods wafted through the small space. A hint of blood mixed in with the smoke, the scent of it hit Bell hard. He shook his head concentrating on his weapon. He fired two more air found off before the last shift to open space rockets were fired.
The marshall’s tank shield failed suddenely dropping our of view and turning the ship onto it’s back. A faint “shint” reverberated through the halls. Bell continued to fire.
A puff from the gun port behind him caught Bell attention. A laser sight had hit it’s mark above Bell’s gun cutting the fire line. He was out of the fight. He twisted the comm to jet line and called, “I’m out the laser sight was hit.”
“I’m hit too.” Halbman replied. “The warstar’s turning though? There’s someone else firing on Fear’s ship.”
“Hey boys. Need a hand?” The familiar voice of Marshall Riza Daine filtered through the jet line comm. “I knew leaving you on your own was bad idea.”
“Thanks for the backup.” Halbman sighed through the line.
“The warship is losing altitude. I’ve launched tow pods. Once the pods have hooked we can start retrieval protocol.” Sonchal’s voice joined the line.
“Marshall Daine would you mind setting down and prepping for cleanup. Mars needs a new local district office to be flown in. Sonchal you need debrief and tie away before you take ove office shifts again.” Andrisican said.
“Yes sir.” Both women replied.
“We off to Earth?” Halbman asked entering Bells gunnery view pod screen.
Bell turned to the Majour. “We’re going to Earth. After we talk with Hoosier Fear, I want to know the extent of their plans. Maybe we can use this to get ahead of Intiara. Jumm Balago has been a little too helpful recently.”
Halbman nodded on the screen. He then turned to his console. Bell watched the Majour start a scan of the disabled warstar. “I’ve got three lifesigns. Two Human and one Algathian.”
“One of the Human life signs is very faint.” Aubnu Sonchal said over the comm. “He’s using them as bait.”
Stella K's Journey Journal 