The Delkar Job Part IV
28 Feb 2017Jellicoe
We plunged out of hyperspace, alert klaxons and warning messages blending with the boom of dissipating energy and the scream of tortured metal as we were ripped out of frame-shift. The console and bridge lights blinked once then twice then died, our Remlok masks deployed before a whirring sound began and the ship lights flickered once more and came back on. I gingerly removed my helmet, the temperature had remained stable and we still had air which, combined with the lights meant we still had some power, the console though remained offline as did the flight controls."Everybody alright?" I asked, Vik and Claude both nodded though their instruments like mine were out. I flicked the coms switch fully expecting it to also be dead.
"Commander to engineering, damage report?" To my amazement Jock responded.
"Power plant and engines are out, don't know how bad till I've had a proper look over them, we're running on emergency batteries right now."
"How long will they last?"
"Dinnae ken, I've cut power tae everything 'cept life support, internal coms and my instruments to save energy so three days, maybe four if we're lucky."
"Could we get a distress call out?" I asked.
"We could." The gruff Scotsman replied. "But only a low power one so probably won't get through depending on how far out we are and it'd lose a lot of our power. I'm going to check the damage over and report back."
"Any idea where we are?" I asked Claude.
"Not without my instruments." He replied with a Gallic shrug. "We certainly got into hyperspace so somewhere between Delkar and Solati, probably interstellar space."
"So unless Jock can fix up the engines we're dead?"
"Probably, but there's something else I don't understand, why aren't we dead already?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, then looked up as the door to the bridge opened. "Mr Skirving?" I asked in surprise as Post Commander Daniel Skirving stepped onto the bridge his face grim and his jaw set, leading four marines carrying stun batons, all looking extremely uncomfortable.
"Rear Admiral Jellicoe." Skirving began, his voice strained. "You are under arrest under the provisions of the Navy Act 3247 for endangering navy personel. You will go with these men to the brig."
"Is this some kind of joke Post Commander? You know as well as I do that the auxiliary are exempt from that part of the Navy Act, now get off my bridge."
"I'm sorry sir, I have my orders. Either go willingly or these men will use their batons, you two as well." He gestured to Claude and Vik.
"You men do know these are illegal orders?" I spoke directly to the marines, none of them would meet my gaze.
"I'm sorry sir." The corporal said looking away from me. "Best you come with us." I glanced around, Vik and Claude were both on their feet.
"Sorry, more important things to do. Get 'em boys." I launched myself at Skirving, driving my head hard into his stomach. We both went down but I was on top, I pulled back my fist, then felt the thudding shock as a stun baton hit me across the back of my head, then everything went black.
I came to on the floor of one of the cells in the brig, my head felt like I'd downed a vat of Sothis Select while my body felt little better. Claude lay next to me, his head in his hands groaning.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
"All I am prepared to admit is that I think I am still alive. What kind of idiot plan was 'get them'?"
I half smiled apologetically. "The marines didn't look like they wanted to go through with it, I thought if I took Skirving down they'd think better of it." Claude rolled his eyes, then grimaced with the pain of it. "Where's Vik?" I asked.
"The next cell I think. He put two of them down, got a real kicking for it."
"What the hell's got into Skirving?"
"What or who?" Claude said thoughtfully, I looked at him quizzically. "He said he had orders, orders off who and why?" I shrugged. Thinking hurt. "and why why are we still alive? Whoever planted that bomb was either very bad at it or it was only ever supposed to drop us out of Frame-Shift."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean somebody wants us alive."
"Who?" I asked.
"Delkar Ltd tried to buy you off, maybe they found Skirving more amenable?"
"Skirving? I can usually spot a bad hat a mile off and he's not one of them, and four marines as well? No there's more to this."
"Maybe, but Skirving's a career officer who's career's going nowhere. Maybe he took the money? Listen skipper I spent enough of my life chasing conspiracy theories to learn that the simple explanation is usually the truth."
"Hang on though if Delkar Ltd wanted us alive why go with all this palaver? They could have just grabbed us on the station, and even if you're right they've no way of finding us out here, more likely it just suits Rickard's sick sense of humour for us to suffocate out here. God knows what Skirving thinks he's doing though."
"They can find us if Skirving turns on the wing beacon. I've no idea why they've gone to this much trouble but it's the only thing that makes sense." I was about to reply when I heard a familiar voice outside the cell.
"Open up the cell Charlie, Mr Skirving needs Marsaud on the bridge." Lieutenant Soames said to the guard.
"Right ho sir, they should still be out for the count but have your baton ready just in case."
"Think we can take both of them?" I whispered to Claude.
"No, but it might be our only chance." He replied moving painfully into position. I heard the guard key the electronic lock and got ready to launch myself as soon as the first man stepped into the cell. The lock beeped but as soon as the door began to open I heard the unmistakable buzzing thump of a blow from a stun baton, followed by a body hitting the floor. The door opened and I saw Harry Soames, baton in hand standing over the inert body of Marine Charlie Lister.
"Harry!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing?"
"Resigning my commission." He replied with a grim smile. "You two drag him into the cell while I get the next one open." The next cell held Vik and Mira, both of whom showed the after effects of being violently subdued, but who both insisted they were fit to help.
"Do you know what the hell's got into Skirving?" I asked Harry Soames.
"Yes, there's a Delkar Ltd ship on its way to pick you up and take you to a secure facility, I don't know where."
"Looks like you were right then." I looked at Claude. "He has taken Rickard's money."
"He isn't working for Delkar Ltd." Harry Soames put in in a voice filled with disgust. "Skirving's orders come directly from Admiral Sleer."