The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: Call Sign Reaper (31 page)

The docking arms were securing the shuttle when they arrived. A seal was established and a green light was flashing next to the door. Reaper felt a touch on his hand and looked to see the major’s finger locked in his. He looked at her and she mouthed, “Be careful.” He squeezed her finger and nodded.

The door to the shuttle opened and they entered. There were soldiers. A very tall one looked them over, then got on a com to the ship. There was a rapid conversation and he returned, motioning them to sit. The shuttle detached and made a short trip back to the battle cruiser. The same soldier opened the door upon arrival and motioned for them to exit the shuttle. The prime minister and the captain were waiting on them.

“Welcome, welcome,” the prime minister said. “Thank you for coming. It is an honor to have you aboard our ship.” He and the captain were looking them over.

“Thank you, Prime Minister,” Ben said. “We are honored to be here.”

“Do you usually arm yourselves for dinner?”

“No sir, that would be my fault and only mine. I was unsure who else you may have invited to dine with us. In certain circles that you travel we could be a part of dinner. We would have to take exception to that happening.”

“I see,” said the prime minister. “That would be somewhat of a problem for you, but the Allith are not invited. Just our senior officers and myself.”

“In that case, if you would have someone show us where we could leave our weapons until we depart.”

“If you like, you may leave them in the dining room.”

They placed their weapons against the wall of the dining room. It was a large ornate room fit for entertaining royalty.

“Prime Minister, Captain, let me introduce you to my advisors,” Ben said. These are Lieutenant Aok, Emily Brous, Commander Holmes and Sergeant Major Kim. They are here to make sure I don’t screw up and cause a galactic incident. In the history of our people, wars were started over little things that would seem trivial to us generations later but were insults at the current time.”

“That I understand, Reaper. It is a prudent precaution.”

Allond officers started arriving. They mingled together, talking and watching the guests of honor. The prime minister asked that everyone take a seat and placed the team near himself and the captain. A number of Allith entered the dining room carrying platters of food. They placed them on the table. Reaper and his team tensed, but watched as they served everyone.

“Reaper, the Allith you see are all crew members of this ship,” the prime minister said. “They have lived their lives within our empire and serve us in many ways. They are not the Allith you and your people have encountered in this galaxy. They are civilized, productive citizens. Their ancestors came to the empire thousands of years ago. They were starving and defeated. They had no foresight to preserve their resources. They went to war with the Trillond and were defeated. They sought us out and have flourished ever since.

“Those that remained here have not advanced much beyond their basic instincts, as you well know. The warlords did send a message to our King. They said that this would be a good territory to annex into our empire. We have been aware of this galaxy for thousands of years. Other than the addition of your people, nothing has changed. We believe our cousins want us to fight for them to eliminate your presence here as well as the Trillond. We have given them terms they must comply with before we will help and they have not given an answer. I decided that we should meet you after seeing you on Hyson.”

“It seems that our futures are still uncertain, but your diplomacy in this process is much appreciated, Prime Minister,” Emily said.

Dinner was different but good. There were many different types of meat, fish and greens. Everyone found something they could eat. The captain didn’t say much at all and neither did any of the officers.

“Prime Minister, what is your position at this point?” Emily asked. “We can’t let our allies be attacked and murdered. We have only taken a defensive position thus far. We would like to avoid any conflicts or war if it came to that. Couldn’t you speak to the Allith and get them to stop before it turns into a war?” Emily was taking the lead, getting questions out on the table.

“All I can say right now is that you could destroy them all and we would do nothing,” the prime minister answered. “Until they offer a unified pledge to our king, we are only observers. I have already destroyed some of them myself and they still will not see reason of any kind.”

There’s something,
Reaper thought.
They can’t stand the Allith either if they are killing them.

“Prime Minister! Captain!” said an officer, entering the room. “We have a envoy of 14 Allith from different Warlords demanding to speak with you now. Shall I detain them? They just docked.”

“Hold them for five, minutes then direct them to the dining room. Reaper, you and your people should arm yourselves now,” The captain said. “Guards, arm yourselves and take up positions at the door and the table here.”

Reaper and the team were armed in two minutes and ready. “Prime Minister, Captain, would you just stand over here by us? When this is over, whatever this is, you may want to see where your information leak is. This is too much of a coincidence,” Reaper said.

“What he means to say is—” Emily started saying.

“His meaning is clear, Ms. Brous,” the prime minister said. “He is correct and no offense was meant I’m sure. Captain, would you see to our security leak?”

The doors to the dining room opened. An officer entered ahead of the Allith and tried to announce them, but he was pushed out of the way.

“Treachery! Treachery!” the Allith in the lead hissed at the Allond. “You meet with our enemy behind our backs. You have done nothing to aid us in our conquest. You even killed some of our clansmen. We demand you give us these pink-skinned ones as a gift to ease the discord between us.”

“I will give you nothing,” the prime minister said. “They are our guests and you have no right to demand anything. You have not signed the pledge to our king as we asked.”

“We will sign nothing now or ever,” the Allith hissed. “We have made other arrangements with a power as great as yours. I think we will just take these from you. I see the one who killed our clansmen on Hyson and we have a right to his blood.”

“My blood is no easy prize, and you may think you have some right to it but your only right will be to die. If you wish it I will help you claim that right,” Reaper answered, stepping out in front of his team.

The captain was tired of chaperoning a bunch of fools through space. He stepped up next to Reaper.

“This is the Emperor’s flagship and I am its captain,” he said. “You have disgraced it with your presence for the last time.

Reaper looked up at the 8-foot-tall lizard man next to him. He nodded to him, and Ben faced the Allith again.

“Commander Holmes, Emily, fall back and guard the prime minister. Lieutenant, Sergeant Major, you’re with me. Captain its 14 against 4 are you ok with that.” Reaper looked at the leader of the Allith party.

“It’s time for you to either shut up and fight or put your tail between your legs and get the fuck out of here.”

The Allith leader wasn’t sure what he had said, but recognized that it was his turn to do something. He charged. The Allith spread out and came at the four. They didn’t draw a weapon. They must have felt they would do alright with teeth and claws. Three swords cleared their scabbards and a laser pistol fired multiple times before the Allith made three steps. Reaper had the broad sword in his right hand and his katana in his left. The captain looked at him and blinked. He looked impressed. He had no weapon. Reaper offered him the broad sword. The captain took it with a smile.

Reaper charged the leaped into the air. The katana took the arm off the leader of the Allith. He roared in pain and blood sprayed. He spun and swung catching his next victim in the mouth cutting his lower jaw off at the joint. It screamed in gurgling choking noises. He turned his attention back the to one armed leader. His sword stroke in a upward direction went through the soft under skin of the lower jaw and out the top of his head. The Allith didn’t have ears but they did have a ear hole which made a nice place to shove a combat knife as his third attacker found out.

The captain held the broad sword with both hands and swung it ferociously. He lifted heads from shoulders and ran it completely through a number of foes. Lieutenant Aok still had her first attacker. She was leaving cuts all over its body but couldn’t get a killing stroke. It was enraged and would make a mistake soon. The sergeant major was drilling attackers in the eyes and mouth. With his laser pistol dialed down, he had to make shots in places that would kill instantly because they otherwise wouldn’t slow an Allith down.

It was seven against four in a matter of minutes and the defenders weren’t even winded yet. The Allith were not mentally prepared for the beating they were getting. The seven remaining slowed down to take stock of the situation.

“You may want to reconsider your earlier decision,” Reaper said to the group. “I can’t speak for the captain, but we are willing to let you live if you stop now. I’ll give you the count of five to decide.” He held up a hand with fingers spread. He closed each one until it made a fist and they had not answered. He jumped and took the closest one through the middle. He knew that was where its heart was located. He pushed it away from him and pulled his katana out. The captain took an arm off another.

Reaper heard Emily yell. An Allith had succeeded in knocking the lieutenant down and was standing over her. She was on her back and her legs were holding the Allith away, but it had a hold of them and was about to push them out of the way. Reaper charged the Allith and tackled it, knocking it back but not down. He took a position between it and her. It charged, jaws open, and he stepped into it. He put his fore arm in its mouth and shoved the sword through its throat. It bit down on the new armor and it held. He worked the blade left and right, making a huge hole and mess of its throat. It fell over but didn’t release its jaws from his arm. Reaper went down with it.

The lieutenant was up and taking a position between Reaper and the remaining Allith. He had pulled his sword out of its neck and was trying to pry its jaws open. At the same time he told the rest of his group to take a few alive. He had questions for them. The one that had his arm finally died.

The captain watched the remaining three Allith. He called his captain of the guard to him. He told him to get the shackles, and that they were going to take some prisoners. The guard captain left and came back with 20 guards. They over powered the remaining Allith and shackled them. They took them out of the dining room to some cells they had waiting. They came back and began cleaning up the bodies. Those just went out an air lock.

“Thank you for dinner, Prime Minister, Captain,” Emily said, acknowledging them both. “Would you be willing to share whatever intel you get from the Allith? I know we are all curious about whatever alliance they have formed and with whom.”

“We will share whatever we information we obtain,” the prime minister replied. “It may not be anything. They are not easily broken, and may not know anything depending on their rank in the clan. I will inform you one way or another.”

They boarded the Allond shuttle and headed back to the Warhammer. The shuttle pilot announced that they were being pursued and to strap in. It seemed that the Allith were not happy with what had happened. They started firing; the blasts were stopped by the shields but it still rocked the shuttle. There was an explosion that rocked the shuttle again, but it was the closest Allith ship exploding. The other ship changed course and tried to run, but they saw it take a hit and explode.

The shuttle pilot announced that the immediate threat was over but the Allith had started making attack runs against the Allond battle cruiser. Four ships broke off to chase the shuttle. They were close enough now to have help from the Warhammer.

“Captain O’Shaughnessy, this is Reaper. Could you assist with the four hostiles that are coming in? I believe the uneasy alliance they had with our dinner host has now been dissolved.”

“Keep coming, Reaper, we are moving to intercept.”

“Pilot, stay on course. The Warhammer is going to intercept the incoming ships.” They saw the Warhammer pass by and they continued for another mile or so. The pilot turned the shuttle so the passengers could watch both battles that were taking place. They saw the gunship detach from the Warhammer and head their way.

“Reaper, have everyone get ready to board the gunship. We will escort the shuttle to the battle cruiser.” It was the major. Lieutenant Chavez and the Allond pilot managed to get the two ships into a position where they could deploy an airlock. As soon as the connection was made, they moved quickly into the gunship. Reaper went last. He thanked the pilot while he removed the broadsword from his back. The pilot watched him warily.

“Please give this to the captain with my thanks for his assistance as soon as you return,” Ben said. He laid it across the seat he had been occupying. The pilot looked relieved and nodded. He climbed into the gunship. The pilot shut and locked the door on his ship while they retracted the airlock.

The lieutenant was the first to notice his sword was gone. “Reaper, where is your broadsword?” she asked.