Spacejacked
22 Oct 2021Seth Bradwell
Well that's a fine mess you have gotten yourself into, Seth.I was certain that all my security protocols were up to date, that the codes which allow entry to the cockpit were up to date, and my sidearm was kept at close hand just in case, but it only took a few seconds for them to storm through, blast me with a taser and before I could recover I had several P-15s thrust into my face.
"Do as you are told and you won't get hurt." the leader of my captors tell me. "You will set a course to this system, and rendezvous with our fleet carrier."
"Care to tell me what the reason for all this is?"
"NMLA business. Do as we say and you'll live. We just want your passengers."
"Why - what do they have to do with you?"
"Enough questions. Now do as we instruct."
Reluctantly I point the Libertas away from the rescue ship and plot a course to the uninhabited system where their Fleet Carrier awaits, racking my brains for a way out of this. At least one mook keeps a very close eye on my activity for any trickery. If there was any slight lapse I would consider activating the ship's self-destruct, the passenger cabins are provided with plenty of escape pods so theoretically they could all survive and at least avoid whatever misery awaits them at that carrier - but assuming the sick and wounded make it in time before the ship blows they may not survive the stasis freeze in their weakened state. But the mook would only have to see me move to initiate self-destruct and I would have a tungsten carbide slug in my head. However they seem to need me to pilot the ship, otherwise they would have probably had done that already. That's it - I'll stall them, and hopefully people in Dyson City will realise something is amiss as I make an unexplained jump out of Paresa.
***
"What's with the sudden halt?" the leader asks me angrily.
"Sorry, my fault, clipped the star's exclusion zone and the FSD has done an emergency stop." I suppress a smirk, knowing that every "accident" buys more time for the Nova Navy to track me down.
"That's the second time you have done that. Fly more carefully!"
I risk a taunt. "Who's the pilot here, pray tell me?"
That results in a slap. "Just take us to our destination, Duval lackey, and be thankful your fate at the end will be far less horrific than those you sought to rescue."
"I'm really sorry," I say convincingly, "it won't happen again. I am really grateful for the mercy you have shown me in spite of my incompetence."
"Too damn right. If I was you I would keep your nose out of our affairs and keep well away from Republic space - or you may find yourself on a one way trip to Pegasi yourself."
Pegasi! So that's what they are up to. No guesses needed for what they have in store for my passengers. The NMLA working in cahoots with the Kumo Crew, ugh, why doesn't this surprise me. Marlin Duval despised slavery but then she also despised violence and terrorism too. Well they are not getting these passengers. One more "accident" and I will say I need to "reboot the FSD", the ruse I need to set off the self-destruct mechanism so we all die free if rescue is impossible.
***
The ship drops into normal space with a shudder as yet again I stray just that bit too close to the star. If I am going to be the hero, the time is now, the next jump is to their fleet carrier, and Void knows who else is waiting for me.
My captor gives me a vicious swipe across the face. "You must be one of the worst pilots in the galaxy! How did you ever get your Pilot's Federation licence?"
"The same way as everyone else, I passed my tests, applied for my Pilot's Fed loan and picked up my Sidewinder at LHS 3447."
"Don't be smart with me! One more mistake and you're on the slaver ship with them."
"Okay, okay... I just need to recalibrate the FSD and there will be no more problems -"
Suddenly a mook bursts into the cockpit. "Sir! Sir! One of our guys guarding the passengers hasn't reported back! Nothing has been heard of him for the past half an hour!"
The leader pushes his pistol against my skull. "You will stop here and not place one finger on the controls, until this has been sorted out. Understood?"
I nod. "Perfectly."
***
Meanwhile...
Personal log of A.V. Tokareva
I brace myself for the jolt back into normal space as the ship clips another exclusion zone, buying me just that bit more time to act. The guard had not moved the entire time since we left Dyson City, but would just take one lapse in concentration. Thankfully my fellow cabin mates, all from the Paresa Blue Family criminal gang were getting very irritable and were not the kind to quietly cooperate with their captors.
"In the name of Ramdomus, how many more stars do you punks have to crash into?" one of the pirates snarled, his grizzled face openly showing his contempt.
"Shut up." the guard barked, waving his AR-50 in the gangster's face.
"You don't scare me." the pirate continued, "You think this is the first time I have looked down a barrel of a gun? Freakin' amateurs, the lot of you. When word gets back to our boss you will have a bounty in every system this side of Achenar."
The guard started to get incensed. "You really think your Molly Mouse outfit will stand up to the might of us? This is only the beginning. When we are done all you criminal scum will be set to work building a greater galaxy for us all."
"Oh great, an idealist. Just my luck to be taken prisoner by some hare-brained fanatics. Well I would rather take the bullet here and now rather than be bored to death with your propaganda." The pirate started to lurch forward.
The guard strode across to give the errant hostage a clip across the face with the butt of his rife. "Now be quiet and sit back. Your old life is over, behave and you may come to enjoy your new one." His back is turned at me, giving me the opportunity I needed. Without hesitation I launch into the guard, the sudden shock sending him sprawling into the ground. He may be more built than me but I still had the element of surprise as I dig my knee into the small of his back and wrest his weapon hand into a painful armbar. In a few seconds, I have his AR-50 as the pirate and three of his mates restrain my erstwhile captor.
"Nice work, Ma'am." the first pirate said as they bind him with his own clothing. "But there are bound to be others out there."
"Leave them to me. They won't be aware just yet, and they are few in number, and we have the element of surprise. Take this," - I pass him the guard's sidearm, "and when his comrade comes to find up what's wrong, give him the jump. Now I have got to get going."
"You intend to liberate this entire ship?"
"My intel says there are only four of them, including the leader. Now my friend is piloting this ship and has managed to throw some biowaste in their machine, he too knows how high the stakes are. Now if you can deal with one other spacejacker then I can swiftly neutralise the rest of them."
"Aye, aye. Not one for playing the hero but I'll be damned if I will become some slave in some Randomius-dammned mine somewhere."
"Excellent, comrade. Now if you will excuse me, my mission awaits."
I leave the cabin and walk down the deserted corridors, watching out for the other spacejackers. I reflect on what has happened to date. Till three days ago I was running cargo escort missions for EG Union, whilst I am formally rehabilitated the past accusations still remain an indelible mark on my reputation, one I have yet to erase though for now I am resigned to rebuilding it the hard way through menial work, and the EGU is still keeping a very close eye on me. However I got word of a tip-off from the EGU Intelligence Bureau regarding a plot to spacejack a rescue vessel, and the only thing they knew was that the target was my longtime comrade and to an extent, friend, Seth Bradwell, who had by chance ended up fighting alongside EGU at Delta Pavonis, and at the end of that conflict had proven to be a major asset to EGU. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to get involved, and in spite of Central Command's misgivings I gained permission to travel to Paresa on the grounds that I knew him the longest and would be able to find out how best to foil the plot. I didn't even know who was behind this, though the guard's talk of "building a greater galaxy" in the context of the recent bomb attack makes me suspect the NMLA, or at least a group affiliated with them. I dive into a cubby hole and activate my stealth suit as one of the guards makes his way down towards the cabin I had just left. Now you may ask how is it possible for only four people to take control of a ship, and why was one of them so fixated on standing guard over us? Normally the locks on passenger cabins can be remotely locked and passengers confined within. However I know how to tamper with such devices so our lock was jammed open throughout our journey. I also placed myself with a group of pirates who wouldn't flinch from violence and know how to handle themselves in combat. Therefore, having used the environment to my advantage I was able to create opportunities to turn the tables. After the guard disappears around the corner, I make my way to the cockpit entrance and hide in place, waiting for the third captor to go out to investigate...
***
Log of Seth Bradwell - supplemental
"Why hasn't Mogg returned?" the lead spacejacker asks the remaining mook impatiently.
"No idea Sir, should have reported back ten minutes ago, surely he can't have been captured by the passengers?"
"Don't be foolish, Trench. We have the whole ship under lockdown, it must be a comms failure. Go check."
"Aye, aye, Sir." the mook known as Trench replied as he exited the cockpit. Whilst all this had happened I had managed to sneakily access the Systems panel, bring up the Self Destruct screen, and had my hand poised over the "Confirm" button...
"And what do you think you're doing, Imp?" the lead spacejacker confronts me. "Move that hand away at once!"
"No, now listen. One move from you and this ship self destructs. My finger is placed so the button to initiate it is the last thing my dead body touches should you blast me. Now drop your weapon."
"You wouldn't dare..."
"Oh yes I would. Now get your men to lay down their weapons and surrender."
"You snivelling, conniving worm! You may think you have saved these precious passengers of yours, but your heroics are been for nothing. Once your ship goes our men will go in and scoop up the survivors. The will be no escape for any of you. As for you, we shall enjoy condemning you to a most agonising death for your attempts to deceive us."
I move my hand from the button. It was a nice try, I thought, just hope my charade brought some time for allies to reach me.
"Good." said my captor, smirking. "Glad to see you are not totally without common sense. Now if would be so kind as to take us to our destination, and who knows? We may be content with turning you in to the Federation, knowing you cannot harm us from the confines of the Warren."
Suddenly the cockpit doors open to the sight of a tall figure storming through, brandishing an AR-50 which she immediately points at my captor. With relief I realise who it is.
"Drop your weapon." said Anastasia menacingly. "One of your comrades is dead, the other two are in captivity. You have failed."
My captor starts to lower his P-15, but then raises it up to my head, but Anastasia's AR-50 speaks before he can even get his finger on the trigger.
"Great timing." I say, as I plot a course back to Paresa. "Whilst I am curious to know why you ended up on my ship, there will be plenty of time for questions and catching up later. Make sure that door is secure, and feel free to sit in one of the co-pilot's seats. We need to finish this job. Oh, and by the way, thanks."