{"data":{"id":17440,"title":"Instrument of Surrender (Part One)","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/17440-Instrument-Of-Surrender-Part-One","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/17440","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/17440","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Instrument of Surrender","images":[{"id":23520,"name":"Instrument-Of-Surrender.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/8yfnvv0gp8ovlr\/source\/Instrument-Of-Surrender.jpg","alt":"","size":1340804,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2020-01-28T15:50:05+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/23520","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/23520\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Instrument of Surrender (Part One) was published originally in Jump Point 4.5.\n[June 24, 2610 \u2014 Elysium System]\n\nAt the end of the jump tunnel, space shimmered, rippled, then revealed the Kaleeth\u2019ala System. Corath\u2019Thal stared into the dark void from the bridge of his ship. His view of the expanse that lay before his fleet danced slightly as the shield that enrobed the full length of the massive craft readjusted and settled into place almost with a life of its own.\n\nFrom the edge of his vision he could sense the shieldmaster making her practiced adjustments, but he could also tell that under her calm exterior, she thrummed with excitement. This was more than the rush that always followed a battle. This was something new. Something that none of them had dared allow themselves to feel before now.\n\nEven though the distant drift spread before him looked similar to other systems, he knew it was so much more. After everything they had been through over the past seven years, he had finally brought his people home.\n\nThe remnants of Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s main fleet poured from the Centauri-Elysium jump point. He didn\u2019t have much time to lead the survivors to their homeworld of Kaleeth. The UEE forces that ambushed them on the Centauri side of the jump would not be far behind, and Corath\u2019Thal had made up his mind. This war would end on his terms, whether in victory or defeat.\n\nCorath\u2019Thal signaled Rados to carry his voice to his depleted fleet.\n\n\u201cWhen we started down this path, we had no home. Only a world once ours that was ripped away. I vowed that if you fought with me, I would bring you home. That the Rijora would provide us a path to victory . . .\u201d\n\nCorath\u2019Thal paused while the words in his throat quivered.\n\n\u201cAfter the events of today, I know that either the Rijora has failed us, or we have failed the Rijora. I\u2019m not sure if there\u2019s a difference anymore. But what I am sure of is that I will fulfill the first promise I made myself and all of you. I am going home.\u201d\n\nBefore he could continue, the clear resonance of the warning chime vibrated through the hull and echoed through the halls of the capital ship. Corath\u2019Thal checked the scans. Human ships burned to their position en masse.\n\n\u201cThose who wish to commit themselves to the lands of our ancestors, follow me. Those who don\u2019t, use my advance as your chance to escape. May you live to fight another day. Goth\u2019raj doah!\u201d\n\nCorath\u2019Thal scanned the faces of those who served on the bridge; none meet his gaze but instead stared towards where their home lay ahead in the far distance. Each accepted their fate in their own way. Sensors screamed as the ship\u2019s shield absorbed the first wave of attacks from the approaching UEE forces.\n\n\u201cGoth\u2019raj doah!\u201d Rados bellowed, barely able to keep emotion from overwhelming his voice.\n\nIn unison, the crew responded, \u201cGoth\u2019raj doah!\u201d\n\nAs the Tevarin fleet blazed across Elysium towards their homeworld of Kaleeth, UEE soldiers raced to battle stations in anticipation of an all-out assault on the world they had renamed Jalan. In the sky above, UEE Navy ships scrambled to form a semblance of a blockade.\n\nBut the Tevarin fleet did not fall into their traditional phalanx formation. They did not even return fire when attacked. They either fell to the barrage of shots that perforated their hulls or shrugged them off and went faster. As the Tevarin ships approached Kaleeth\u2019s atmosphere, they lowered their powerful shields.\n\nCorath\u2019Thal watched the Tevarin ships before him pierce the atmosphere, then rip apart. Sadness swelled as he grasped the terrible fate that awaited his people. Would he be one of the last Tevarin to see their homeworld?\n\nThe ship shook violently as it pushed into the upper atmosphere. On the horizon he noticed something breaking through the bed of clouds. Could it be the peak of Mount Supteek? Corath\u2019Thal staggered to the front of the bridge and laid his hand on the glass.\n\nHe last saw Mount Supteek as a child fleeing Kaleeth with his parents. Its peak was one of the only memories he still had of his home.\n\nThe glass grew hot, but Corath\u2019Thal kept his hand in place. The beauty of Kaleeth, even from above, overwhelmed every ounce of his being. The clouds parted; now he could see the cities the Human invaders had built around their temples of old. It sickened him. He was suddenly consumed with regret for not killing them all as the ship disintegrated around him.\n\nThe Second Tevarin War was finally over.\n\n[June 25, 2610 \u2014 Caliban System]\n\nClarice seemed angrier than usual today. She sometimes got that way after cannibalizing smaller storms. Hickory adjusted course to give her a wider berth. Hickory named the massive storm that lived in Caliban IV\u2019s upper atmosphere Clarice after his mother. Both were bad news for pilots who got too close, but good to Hickory, who salvaged parts and cargo from the ships the storm wrecked for resale on Crion.\n\nMost avoided Clarice and her ship-crippling lightning strikes. Still many didn\u2019t give her a wide enough birth. Some were too lazy to chart her precise location, while others intentionally traveled close by to hide their ship\u2019s signature. Hickory didn\u2019t care about their motives, only that he could salvage valuables from them to pay for his trip to the Banu Protectorate.\n\nSuddenly Dolos\u2019s scanners sang the sweet song of discovery. Hickory set out to see what today\u2019s catch would be.\n\nIt was an RSI Nova, a souped-up courier ship outfitted with serious armaments. Hickory salivated. This wasn\u2019t a civilian vessel; it was military grade and potentially filled with wartime information and supplies.\n\nBut to be fair, most civilian ships were pretty well stocked these days, too. Seven years of Tevarin hit-and-run tactics meant no Human ship was safe flying unless armed to the teeth and chock full of supplies. That wasn\u2019t always the case. Ship weapons were once considered a luxury for the rich or dangerous. Now they were everywhere. All of this made Hickory\u2019s job a little trickier and pay a little bit better. War always has unintended consequences, thought Hickory.\n\nLightning from Clarice had killed the Nova, setting it drifting slowly through space. Hickory quickly determined its speed and trajectory to calculate where it would be in a couple of hours. He flew to that point in its projected route and powered down his ship. He set an alarm to ring in two hours so he didn\u2019t lose track of time. Then he finally exited Dolos and EVAed back towards the Nova.\n\nAs he EVAed, Hickory watched Clarice violently swirl below. Her surface seemed to bubble from the electrical activity. This one vista encapsulated Hickory\u2019s understanding of the universe: achingly beautiful and unapologetically evil.\n\nHickory reached the drifting derelict and quickly cut through the hull. Inside, he found the pilot at the helm. The lightning strike that fried the Nova must have been massive. The pilot\u2019s hands were seared to the flight stick. Hickory checked the area for personal trinkets then turned to the flight instruments.\n\nIt would be a waste of time to salvage components. Everything was charred to a crisp. So Hickory systematically checked every crevice of the craft, getting more annoyed as he went. How could there not be a single piece of cargo? The more he explored the ship the less it made sense. How had he even picked up the ship\u2019s sig if all the components were scorched? Something around here had to be working.\n\nHickory\u2019s flashlight scanned the info-terminal to find its faceplate melted. If this ship had one component with a top of the line surge suppressor, this would be it. So he pulled out his multi-tool and carefully cracked it open.\n\nAs he ogled its innards, his eyes grew wide. It was an XL-250i. This best-quality, military-grade component was in much better condition than the cockpit console. There was a chance this thing might still work. If it did, the components alone could net significant creds, plus whatever data it carried. Hickory connected his custom-made hacking tool to the power supply then steadily gave it juice.\n\nThe system sprung to life. Hickory resisted the urged to do a quick, high-level assessment of the data, and began the download. Probably better to review the information elsewhere. The sooner the system was powered down, the better. Even though its sig was small, he wasn\u2019t the only one who scavenged Clarice for shipwrecks.\n\nHickory glanced at the hacking tool in his hand to see the download almost complete. That was disappointingly swift. Must not be a lot of data on here. Once the status bar hit 100%, he unplugged his hacking tool and powered down the system. Then he quickly removed the system\u2019s most vital components. He dreamed of using them to upgrade his ship, but he really needed creds. Who knows? Maybe the data he recovered would be worth more than he expected.\n\nConfident he\u2019d found all the Nova had to offer, Hickory checked the time. It was a little short of the two hours he had given himself, but Dolos should be close enough. The hole he cut in the hull was above him. He took a deep breath, activated his EVA thrusters, aimed at that spot, and propelled himself into space.\n\nHe kept his trajectory straight until clear of the ship. He got lost in thought wondering what information he had pulled from the ship and what price it could fetch. Then he realized he had drifted further than expected. He accessed his ship locater when, suddenly, space behind him glowed like a furnace.\n\nHickory killed his suit\u2019s thrusters, and rotated to see the scene. The Nova he had exited minutes before had now become a debris field, the flames from the explosion quickly dying in vacuum. His heart caught in his throat as he saw the Jackal move in to inspect the wreckage it had just created.\n\nHickory\u2019s pulse raced. He had to get to his ship and fast. Best to be gone before the Tevarin scout ship started looking for its next target.\n\n\u201cDrahk . . . you shouldn\u2019t have attacked without warning me.\u201d The exhaustion in Tajhbind\u2019s voice was obvious. Drahk could feel Tajhbind\u2019s glare through his helmet.\n\n\u201cDeepest apologies, but my scans picked up a sentient signature exiting the craft.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you attack that?\u201d\n\nIt was a cutting question but one Drahk knew he wasn\u2019t expected to answer. Drahk and Tajhbind had been copilots for most of the war. Drahk\u2019s itchy trigger finger and other offensive deficiencies were tolerated because he was a master of the phalanx shield. Drahk\u2019s strengths happened to complement Tajhbind\u2019s weaknesses and vice versa, so they made a lethal duo. Drahk absorbed and deflected fire from all angles, which allowed Tajhbind to focus on fighting.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s ok, but I need you in line with me. Who knows if there was anything on that ship that could \u2014\u201c\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d\n\nAn unidentified ship appeared on Drahk\u2019s radar. It was close, and its sig growing stronger by the second. Drahk knew what that meant.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a Human ship!\u201d\n\nThe ship\u2019s quantum drive finished spooling as Tajhbind fired from both barrels. His shots pierced the hull as the quantum drive engaged. The ship stuttered and spun in a new direction then suddenly accelerated into the dark expanse.\n\nHow had Drahk not noticed another ship hiding nearby? His failure could jeopardize Ekoraapt\u2019s crew and mission. According to the Rijora, the only course of action was to confess immediately.\n\n\u201cI have failed in my duty to you, Tajhbind. My irresponsible and overeager attack kept me from properly executing my scanning duties. I pledge to the holy Rijora, Goth\u2019raj doah, that I will do everything to right this wrong, or suffer whatever fate is deemed appropriate by \u2014.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf Humans find out we\u2019re in system, our lives, not our honor, will be on the line. We must focus on preserving the first before repairing the second.\u201d\n\nTajhbind contacted Ekoraapt and explained the situation. They were ordered to return. Thanks to this disappointing encounter, battle plans had to be accelerated.\n\nBefore signing off, Tajhbind asked if there was news about Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s attack in Centauri. The entire crew had been on edge waiting for an update, but there was still no news. Drahk wasn\u2019t disheartened by the lack of information. The distance between Caliban on the front meant information delay was inevitable.\n\nDrahk remained supremely confident Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s plan would work. Ekoraapt\u2019s attack on Crion would divert UEE resources to Caliban and keep reinforcements from joining the main battle. Eventually, the Rijora would guide the Tevarin to victory over the Humans, and they would reclaim Kaleeth for their own.\n\nHickory was lucky to be alive and knew it. That Tevarin was a hell of a shot. The rounds hit his ship just as the quantum drive engaged, changing his trajectory. Luckily, Dolos course corrected before the G-forces became fatal. Even though he survived, his head hurt like hell.\n\nMoments later, Dolos sputtered and fell out of quantum drive. While checking the damage to his systems, he realized how far off course he was. Hickory fired the thrusters and swung back toward Crion.\n\nHickory had put some distance between himself and the Tevarin, but he feared not enough. Caliban IV still glowed faintly in the distance. That was only one of his problems. Not only was he out of quantum fuel, the drive was damaged. Those weren\u2019t the worst parts though. Hickory calculated the distance to Crion, and confirmed that even with his conventional thrusters on full burn, he would run out of oxygen well before reaching anywhere with an atmosphere.\n\nHickory considered broadcasting a distress signal, but knew who responded to those in this part of space: people like himself, with no sympathy for anyone\u2019s plight but their own. Plus, the signal might only attract the attention of the Tevarin he had fled. Most likely, no one would come until it was too late. That would be a best-case scenario.\n\nHickory stared into space. It was just his luck. The XL-250i components and whatever data was on that drive probably were more than enough to execute his plan. Now, instead of setting out for Kins, he was marooned in Caliban.\n\nHickory set the autopilot and climbed out of the pilot\u2019s seat to one of the ship\u2019s storage compartments. Inside, a threadbare flatcat stuffed animal sat atop a case of Angeli aged whiskey. Hickory delicately moved the flatcat, cracked the whiskey case and grabbed a bottle. He poured himself a healthy glass of whiskey then sat on his bunk in silent contemplation.\n\nThe whiskey burned going down, then pulsed right to his aching head. He stared at the terminal across from him. Then crossed to it and plugged in his hacking tool. What else was there to do but drink and see what information was worth all this?\n\nIt wasn\u2019t long before Hickory\u2019s head spun from something other than the drink. The data file contained one thing \u2014 a signed Tevarin Instrument of Surrender.\n\nMouth suddenly dry, Hickory downed the remaining contents of his glass. He read the message again for the millionth time. The war was over. He almost couldn\u2019t believe it.\n\nThe Second Tevarin War was over.\n\nNext he checked the Nova\u2019s communications logs to see one failed transmission to the UEES Crescent. The courier ship must have had been rushing the news of the war\u2019s end to Crescent when it got zapped. There was the chance Crescent knew none of this. That meant he was probably the first person in the whole of Caliban to know. Second if you counted the unlucky pilot.\n\nHickory suddenly had a thought. It was a precarious proposition considering his past, but, as far as he could see, there was no better option. If he played this right, maybe he could spin this information into leniency on his past transgressions?\n\nHickory grabbed the bottle and took another pull, allowing the warmth to wash over him. Then climbed into the cockpit and adjusted course once again. Moments later, he activated a distress signal.\n\nFor the first time in his life, Hickory hoped the UEE military would find him.\n\nCommander Wallace studied the bruised and scuffed starmen before her. If their injuries were any indication, it was a fair fight.\n\n\u201cThe mess turned into a real ruckus \u2019cause of these two,\u201d said XO Coburn as he glared at the battered pair with his trademark scowl. His face, hardened and scarred from years of active duty, left no doubt that he knew only one life \u2014 the military.\n\nThe two starmen hung their heads and took in the rug laid before her desk. As far as she knew, it was the only one aboard Crescent; a bit of warmth amidst the ship\u2019s metal.\n\n\u201cIt appears you two need another way to keep your hands busy. XO Coburn, assign these two starmen brooms and make sure they sweep the floor before them everywhere they go.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith pleasure.\u201d A mischievous smile stretched across Coburn\u2019s face.\n\n\u201cFor the next week, those brooms will not leave your hands unless ordered so by a superior. Understood?\u201d\n\nThe starmen replied affirmatively, saluted, then were dismissed. Once the door closed behind them, Commander Wallace turned back to her computer to see if the simulation she was running of Crescent\u2019s intended route past Caliban IV had finished. She wanted to ensure the ship gave its raging storm ample room.\n\n\u201cThat Mitchell\u2019s a real piece of work. How does a guy with known anger issues get assigned to a cruiser? He never would have made it this far if the Navy wasn\u2019t so desperate to staff their ships.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe same could be said for me,\u201d returned Commander Wallace.\n\nThe XO\u2019s anger abated in a wave of embarrassment. Wallace didn\u2019t know the grizzled soldier had it in him.\n\n\u201cAny update on that dropped transmission from earlier?\u201d\n\nXO Coburn visibly relaxed, thankful for the conversation returning to safer territory.\n\n\u201cNo, sir. The signal was lost almost immediately. Since there\u2019s been no attempted retransmission, Comms Officer Fitzpatrick believes it might have been electrical interference from the storm, but the scouts are still looking, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s all for now, Coburn. You\u2019re dismissed.\u201d\n\nCoburn turned to leave, then thought better of it. He doubled back to the desk, stopping just before his feet reached the rug.\n\n\u201cActually, Commander, there is something I believe you should be made aware of. I don\u2019t think these fights are going to stop. People are putting other allegiances above the one to this ship. That fight in the mess \u2014 no one was talking about it. In my experience, gossip is a good thing to hear in the halls. At least it means people are communicating. This place is quieter than a damn ghost ship.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rubbed her temple. She didn\u2019t need Coburn\u2019s constant updates to inform her of the crew\u2019s discontent. She could sense it while walking the halls.\n\n\u201cAny recommendations on how to resolve the situation?\u201d\n\nCoburn hesitated for a moment, before:\n\n\u201cNo, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou can speak freely.\u201d\n\nCoburn thought for a moment, then looked her square in the eye.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re fighting because they lack a leader. That\u2019s supposed to be you.\u201d\n\nSilence hung in the room for a few tense moments. His communicator pinged. Coburn checked it.\n\n\u201cSir, scouts patrolling Sector 4 just responded to a distress signal. They stopped the ship and are bringing its pilot in for questioning. They say there\u2019s something odd about him.\u201d\n\n\u201cOdd how . . . ?\u201d Wallace replied, collecting herself.\n\nThe photo of a man with a gaunt face, high cheek bones and wild blue eyes appeared on a nearby wallscreen. \u201cThey ran his name. He should be dead.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace entered the interrogation room and did a double take. Hickory sat across the table, but his face bore little resemblance to the picture. The high, angular cheek bones were gone. Clearly, he had facial reconstruction surgery, maybe even multiple times. There were more differences than similarities, but something in the eyes rang true. Commander Wallace averted her eyes and took a seat.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s OK, Captain . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander Wallace.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh . . . Commander, sorry. Don\u2019t feel bad. I\u2019m used to the stares by now. What\u2019s the expression, again? \u2018A face made for a space helmet.\u2019 Only took a few surgeries from a series of disreputable doctors to get it.\u201d\n\nAn uneven smile stretched from ear to ear.\n\nCommander Wallace remained expressionless. \u201cWhat should I call you?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, for the looks you\u2019re giving me, I\u2019d guess you already have my name.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have a name. One Andrew Lime, born 2542 on Cestulus. Died in Jata, during the commission of a crime in 2567. From the looks of you, I\u2019d say you\u2019re not quite dead yet, so I\u2019m still left wondering who exactly you are.\u201d\n\n\u201cAndrew Lime and I are one and the same, Commander. It\u2019s an interesting story, but it\u2019s not the information you need to hear right now.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow do you know what I need to hear?\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s say I came across some data that you would find vital to your ship and crew.\u201d\n\nSilence sat between them. Commander Wallace could smell whiskey on his breath. She debated ending the interview right then, but despite herself she eventually said, \u201cWhenever you\u2019re ready . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cSee it\u2019s not that easy. Like you were kind enough to point out, I\u2019m supposed to be dead. And, let\u2019s just say, the UEE won\u2019t be the only ones surprised to know I\u2019m alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf your information is solid, I\u2019ll put in a good word with the Advocacy. There are plenty of prisons in out-of-the-way systems where you\u2019ll be safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat won\u2019t work for me.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo syndicate has ties to every prison. The Advocacy can keep you alive if you\u2019re honest about who\u2019s after you.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not the syndicate I\u2019m concerned about . . .\u201d Hickory\u2019s face softened for the first time.\n\nCommander Wallace exhaled and sat back in her chair, weary of his cryptic and evasive answers. \u201cWell, then . . . what do you want?\u201d\n\n\u201cSafe passage to the Banu Protectorate.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace chuckled and rolled her eyes. She was secretly hoping he would ask for something more interesting. \u201cSo anything else besides immunity for your crimes?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not why I need to go there.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, merely a helpful byproduct.\u201d Commander Wallace stood. A worried look washed over Hickory\u2019s face. \u201cNo information is valuable enough to expunge a criminal record this extensive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace turned towards the door.\n\n\u201cThe war\u2019s over,\u201d Hickory called after her. She stopped and turned back. \u201cI recovered some kind of Instrument of Surrender from the Tevarin off a destroyed military courier ship.\u201d\n\n\u201cUh huh. And where exactly was this ship?\u201d\n\n\u201cCoordinates won\u2019t help. Some Tevarin destroyed it.\u201d\n\n\u201cTevarin? In Caliban?\u201d\n\n\u201cWho do you think tagged my ship? And if there\u2019s one Jackal out there, you can bet they\u2019ve got friends close by.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace sat back down. \u201cSo this Instrument of Surrender is where?\u201d\n\n\u201cI need assurances, Commander, before handing over something like that.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it\u2019s not here.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s on my ship, which, I might add, your scouts insisted on leaving somewhere in space instead of it being brought here.\u201d\n\n\u201cLanding an unauthorized ship aboard a carrier is forbidden during wartime.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, technically you\u2019re not at war anymore.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rubbed her temples and thought things through. Finally, she stood and headed for the door. Hickory watched her leave.\n\n\u201cDo we have a deal?\u201d The door clicked shut.\n\nDrahk rushed through the halls of the ship. He expertly wove through traffic as Tajhbind tried to keep up. Orphaned on Olympus, Drahk had grown up in the husk of the destroyed UEE capital ship. He survived by hiding and hurrying through its corridors, until one day a Tevarin vendor caught him stealing from his stall. Instead of punishing Drahk, the vendor showed mercy. Drahk could get food from his stall if he took the time to memorize the Rijora and learn the history of his great race.\n\nThe Rijora became Drahk\u2019s lifeline, and he dedicated himself to it. When the Second Tevarin War began, Drahk left Olympus to enlist in the fight to retake Kaleeth. His commitment to the cause was unquestionable, and even though he had significantly less flight time than most, Drahk\u2019s ascended through the ranks to become a pilot.\n\nExasperated, Tajhbind finally called out, \u201cWhere are you going that requires such haste?\u201d\n\nDrahk rounded a corner and went up a flight of stairs two steps at a time. Tajhbind suddenly realized where he was headed and quickly broke into a run, hoping to catch Drahk before he got there.\n\nEkoraapt\u2019s highest ranking pilots streamed into the operations room for the assignment ceremony. A Rijorian chant convened the meeting. Tajhbind grabbed Drahk\u2019s arm steps before the doorway.\n\n\u201cVolunteering for the initial attack force won\u2019t restore your honor. Recognize your limitations, Drahk. Remember, it is a strength for one to know one\u2019s weaknesses.\u201d\n\nDrahk smiled. He was rubbing off on Tajhbind. This was the first time he had ever lectured Drahk on the Rijora. A chant reverberated through the operations room, requesting volunteers for the first wave of attacks on Crion\u2019s largest hive of Humanity, the city called Boro.\n\nDrahk repeated the words to Tajhbind, \u201cGo forth with head held high, but honor the ground and respect the sky. One must keep those goals in mind if we are to survive. Were you ever taught what that chant means?\u201d\n\n\u201cA warrior must be true to oneself to stay alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is a modern misinterpretation. It originated in the 16th epoch. A time when only the bravest left the caves of Kaleeth, and never alone. They walked, side-by-side, chanting those words to stay in formation. That chant was never about the survival of the individual. It\u2019s a reminder that we fight for the survival of our species.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t live in caves anymore, Drahk. Let alone on Kaleeth. If we don\u2019t adapt, if our ways don\u2019t change with the time, we have no hope.\u201d\n\nSuddenly, Flightmaster Suldrath\u2019s voice carried through the ship\u2019s halls. \u201cDefenders of Rijora, Human military ships have appeared nearby. Report to your positions and await further instructions.\u201d\n\nTajhbind started toward the hangar. Drahk stayed in place and eyed the operations room. He knew he could still receive an assignment if he volunteered. No one would question his desire to do what was needed.\n\n\u201cDrahk, come on, let\u2019s go.\u201d\n\nDrahk turned to Tajhbind, whose eyes beckoned him to follow. Drahk couldn\u2019t remember the last time he flew without him. The thought of entering the fray without Tajhbind by his side finally set in.\n\nThe Rijora had brought him to Ekoraapt and had him befriend Tajhbind for a reason. Now was not the time to deny that. Moments later, Drahk was hustling down the hall and past Tajhbind. As always, Drahk led the way to the flight deck.\n\nHickory noted the time. Why was this taking so long? They should have been able to tow Dolos back to Crescent by now.\n\nHickory was having difficulty figuring out how his last interaction with Wallace had panned out. She definitely seemed interested in the news about the surrender, but hadn\u2019t quite committed to his demands.\n\nOf course, it all hinged on him showing Wallace that he was telling the truth. The interrogation door opened and two Marines entered.\n\n\u201cFinally . . . so is Commander Wallace joining us at my ship?\u201d\n\nAs one Marine stood guard, the other pulled Hickory\u2019s arms behind his back and cuffed his wrists.\n\n\u201cCome on, guys. You\u2019ll just need to undo them so I can access my terminal.\u201d\n\nThe Marine behind Hickory nudged him forward. \u201cThere aren\u2019t any terminals in the brig.\u201d\n\nHickory stopped in his tracks, \u201cCommander Wallace and I have a deal.\u201d\n\nThe Marine before him shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s right, she says you get the best cell.\u201d\n\nThe door slid back and Hickory instantly noted the change in the ship from when he was first brought aboard. Starmen rushed past in quick purposeful steps, no one bothering to even cast him a second glance. Crap. He had been in enough skirmishes to recognize that he was suddenly in one.\n\nThe barrel of a gun shoved Hickory forward. He had half a mind to make this hard on them, but thought better of it. If Wallace was really about to go head to head with the Tevarin, it probably would be smart to leave as many angry Marines between him and them as possible.\n\nCommander Wallace sat at the terminal in her quarters. She uploaded the coordinates of Crescent and then the last known location of the Tevarin ships into the simulations program. As it began to process, XO Coburn entered.\n\n\u201cI just sent you the scout\u2019s estimates on the size of the Tevarin forces, sir. If they\u2019re true, we\u2019re outmatched. We won\u2019t have enough firepower or resources to overcome their phalanx.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace entered the new data and ran the simulation. Coburn\u2019s eyes drifted to the wallscreen to watch it play. Based on the Tevarin forces\u2019 current trajectory, their destination became clear: the civilian population of Crion. A position Crescent was moving away from. Unless she acted immediately, they would have no chance to defend it.\n\nA sinking feeling hit the pit of her stomach, overwhelming her senses and clouding her mind. Her head spun from a responsibility that hadn\u2019t felt real until right now \u2014 this was all on her.\n\n\u201cSir, another update from the scouts. They\u2019ve been spotted.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it\u2019d be safe to assume their plans have accelerated.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace\u2019s hands shook as she adjusted the simulation to account for the new timeline. She drew a deep breath to calm her nerves then stopped typing. This was a time for action, not projections.\n\n\u201cWe need to get to the bridge.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rushed out of quarters with Coburn on her heels.\n\n\u201cAny word from the scouts sent to retrieve Lime\u2019s ship?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey were last to launch, sir. My estimates won\u2019t have them arriving there for another 10 minutes. But I might suggest calling them back. We\u2019re going to need every last ship if we stand a chance of stopping the Tevarin before they reach Crion.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace chewed on the suggestion, \u201cBut if the Instrument of Surrender is valid, this could all be over before it even starts.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf he\u2019s telling the truth. That\u2019s before even considering whether the Tevarin forces would believe that the war was over. In my experience, good commanders leave as little to chance as possible.\u201d\n\nThe two rounded a corner and approached the bridge.\n\n\u201cCommander . . .\u201d Coburn slowed his pace and fell a step behind, \u201cif I may have a moment with you before we enter the bridge?\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace stopped and faced Coburn. His eyes scanned the hall to find it empty, then his stern face softened. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be no good way to handle this situation. We\u2019ll be chasing down an enemy hell bent on bringing death and destruction to innocent civilians who have no business being involved in this war. As a force, we\u2019re overmatched and already out of position. We know this, but that\u2019s our burden to carry, not the crew\u2019s. They only need two things; to do their jobs and to have faith in their commander. Understand?\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace nodded.\n\n\u201cAre you ready, sir?\u201d\n\n\u201cAlways in service of the Empire.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlways in service of the Empire, sir.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace clenched her fists, hoping to squeeze out every ounce of nervous energy. Then she stepped away from XO Coburn and onto the bridge.\n\nThe crew snapped to attention, anxious to hear what orders awaited them. Commander Wallace reached for the comms but paused. A moment of doubt and indecision gripped her, then passed. She drew a deep breath and then hit the button.\n\n\u201cThis is Commander Wallace. All crew to battle stations. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. Prepare for battle.\u201d\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026","de_DE":"Anmerkung des Autors: Instrument der Kapitulation (Teil eins) wurde urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 4.5 ver\u00f6ffentlicht.\n[24. Juni 2610 - Elysium-System]\n\nAm Ende des Sprungtunnels schimmerte der Raum, kr\u00e4uselte sich und enth\u00fcllte dann das Kaleeth'ala-System. Corath'Thal starrte von der Br\u00fccke seines Schiffes in die dunkle Leere. Sein Blick auf die Weite, die vor seiner Flotte lag, tanzte leicht, als der Schild, der das massive Schiff in voller L\u00e4nge umh\u00fcllte, sich neu ausrichtete und sich fast mit einem Eigenleben an Ort und Stelle einrichtete.\n\nVom Rand seines Blickfeldes aus konnte er sp\u00fcren, wie der Schildmeister ihre ge\u00fcbten Anpassungen vornahm, aber er konnte auch erkennen, dass sie unter ihrem ruhigen \u00c4u\u00dferen vor Aufregung klimperte. Das war mehr als der Ansturm, der immer auf eine Schlacht folgte. Das war etwas Neues. Etwas, das sich bisher keiner von ihnen zu f\u00fchlen gewagt hat.\n\nAuch wenn die vor ihm verbreitete Ferndrift anderen Systemen \u00e4hnlich sah, wusste er, dass es so viel mehr war. Nach allem, was sie in den letzten sieben Jahren durchgemacht hatten, hatte er seine Leute endlich nach Hause gebracht.\n\nDie \u00dcberreste der Hauptflotte von Corath'Thal str\u00f6mten vom Sprungplatz der Centauri-Elysium aus. Er hatte nicht viel Zeit, um die \u00dcberlebenden in ihre Heimatwelt Kaleeth zu f\u00fchren. Die UEE-Truppen, die sie auf der Seite der Centauri in einen Hinterhalt lockten, w\u00fcrden nicht weit dahinter liegen, und Corath'Thal hatte sich entschieden. Dieser Krieg w\u00fcrde zu seinen Bedingungen enden, sei es mit einem Sieg oder einer Niederlage.\n\nCorath'Thal gab Rados das Signal, seine Stimme zu seiner ersch\u00f6pften Flotte zu tragen.\n\n\"Als wir diesen Weg begannen, hatten wir kein Zuhause. Nur eine Welt, die uns einst geh\u00f6rte und die weggerissen wurde. Ich habe geschworen, dass ich dich nach Hause bringe, wenn du mit mir k\u00e4mpfst. Dass die Rijora uns einen Weg zum Sieg bieten w\u00fcrde . . .\"\n\nCorath'Thal hielt inne, w\u00e4hrend die Worte in seiner Kehle zitterten.\n\n\"Nach den Ereignissen von heute wei\u00df ich, dass entweder die Rijora uns im Stich gelassen hat oder wir die Rijora im Stich gelassen haben. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob es noch einen Unterschied gibt. Aber ich bin sicher, dass ich mein erstes Versprechen, das ich mir und Ihnen allen gegeben habe, erf\u00fcllen werde. Ich gehe nach Hause\".\n\nBevor er weitermachen konnte, vibrierte der deutliche Widerhall des Warnsignals durch den Rumpf und hallte durch die Hallen des Kapit\u00e4nsschiffs. Corath'Thal hat die Scans \u00fcberpr\u00fcft. Menschenschiffe brannten massenhaft auf ihre Position.\n\n\"Diejenigen, die sich f\u00fcr das Land unserer Vorfahren einsetzen wollen, folgen mir. Diejenigen, die das nicht tun, nutzen meinen Vorsto\u00df als Ihre Chance zur Flucht. M\u00f6gen Sie leben, um an einem anderen Tag zu k\u00e4mpfen. Goth'raj doah!\"\n\nCorath'Thal tastete die Gesichter derer ab, die auf der Br\u00fccke dienten; keiner traf seinen Blick, sondern starrte stattdessen auf die Stelle, an der ihre Heimat in der Ferne lag. Jeder akzeptierte sein Schicksal auf seine Weise. Sensoren schrien, als der Schiffsschild die erste Angriffswelle der sich n\u00e4hernden UEE-Kr\u00e4fte absorbierte.\n\n\"Goth'raj doah!\" Rados br\u00fcllte und konnte kaum verhindern, dass seine Stimme von Emotionen \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigt wurde.\n\nUnisono antwortete die Mannschaft: \"Goth'raj doah!\"\n\nAls die Tevarin-Flotte \u00fcber Elysium auf ihre Heimatwelt Kaleeth zusteuerte, rannten die Soldaten der UEE in Erwartung eines Gro\u00dfangriffs auf die Welt, die sie in Jalan umbenannt hatten, zu den Kampfstationen. Am Himmel \u00fcber uns verschwanden die Schiffe der UEE Navy, um den Anschein einer Blockade zu erwecken.\n\nAber die Tevarin-Flotte fiel nicht in ihre traditionelle Phalanx-Formation. Sie haben nicht einmal das Feuer erwidert, als sie angegriffen wurden. Entweder fielen sie in das Sperrfeuer von Sch\u00fcssen, die ihre H\u00fcllen durchl\u00f6cherten, oder sie zuckten mit den Achseln und gingen schneller. Als sich die Tevarin-Schiffe der Atmosph\u00e4re von Kaleeth n\u00e4herten, senkten sie ihre starken Schilde.\n\nCorath'Thal beobachtete, wie die Tevarin-Schiffe vor ihm die Atmosph\u00e4re durchbrachen und dann auseinander rissen. Die Traurigkeit schwoll an, als er das schreckliche Schicksal, das sein Volk erwartete, begriff. W\u00fcrde er einer der letzten Tevarins sein, die ihre Heimatwelt sehen?\n\nDas Schiff sch\u00fcttelte heftig, als es in die obere Atmosph\u00e4re stie\u00df. Am Horizont bemerkte er, dass etwas durch das Wolkenbett brach. K\u00f6nnte es der Gipfel des Mount Supteek sein? Corath'Thal taumelte zur Vorderseite der Br\u00fccke und legte seine Hand auf das Glas.\n\nZuletzt sah er den Berg Supteek als Kind, das mit seinen Eltern aus Kaleeth floh. Sein H\u00f6hepunkt war eine der einzigen Erinnerungen, die er noch an seine Heimat hatte.\n\nDas Glas wurde hei\u00df, aber Corath'Thal behielt seine Hand an Ort und Stelle. Die Sch\u00f6nheit von Kaleeth, selbst von oben, \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigte jede Unze seines Wesens. Die Wolken teilten sich; nun konnte er die St\u00e4dte sehen, die die menschlichen Invasoren um ihre alten Tempel herum gebaut hatten. Es hat ihn krank gemacht. Er war pl\u00f6tzlich von Reue dar\u00fcber erf\u00fcllt, dass er nicht alle get\u00f6tet hatte, als das Schiff um ihn herum zerfiel.\n\nDer zweite Tevarin-Krieg war endlich vorbei.\n\n[25. Juni 2610 - Caliban-System]\n\nClarice schien heute w\u00fctender zu sein als sonst. Sie ist manchmal so geworden, nachdem sie kleinere St\u00fcrme kannibalisiert hat. Hickory passte den Kurs an, um ihr einen gr\u00f6\u00dferen Abstand zu geben. Hickory benannte den massiven Sturm, der in der oberen Atmosph\u00e4re von Caliban IV lebte, nach seiner Mutter Clarice. Beides waren schlechte Nachrichten f\u00fcr Piloten, die zu nahe kamen, aber gut f\u00fcr Hickory, der Teile und Fracht von den Schiffen, die der Sturm zum Weiterverkauf auf Crion zerst\u00f6rte, geborgen hat.\n\nDie meisten vermieden Clarice und ihre schiffsbehindernden Blitzeinschl\u00e4ge. Viele haben ihr noch immer nicht die n\u00f6tige Breite gegeben. Einige waren zu faul, ihren genauen Standort zu ermitteln, w\u00e4hrend andere absichtlich in die N\u00e4he reisten, um die Signatur ihres Schiffes zu verbergen. Hickory k\u00fcmmerte sich nicht um ihre Motive, sondern nur darum, dass er von ihnen Wertsachen bergen konnte, um seine Reise ins Banu-Protektorat zu bezahlen.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich sangen die Scanner von Dolos das s\u00fc\u00dfe Lied der Entdeckung. Hickory machte sich auf den Weg, um zu sehen, wie der heutige Fang aussehen w\u00fcrde.\n\nEs handelte sich um eine RSI Nova, ein aufgemotztes Kurierschiff, das mit schwerer Bewaffnung ausgestattet war. Hickory sabbert. Es handelte sich nicht um ein ziviles Schiff; es war milit\u00e4rischer Bauart und m\u00f6glicherweise mit Informationen und Vorr\u00e4ten f\u00fcr die Kriegszeit gef\u00fcllt.\n\nAber um fair zu sein, die meisten zivilen Schiffe waren heutzutage auch ziemlich gut best\u00fcckt. Sieben Jahre tevarinsche Unfallfluchttaktik bedeutete, dass kein menschliches Schiff sicher fliegen konnte, wenn es nicht bis zu den Z\u00e4hnen bewaffnet und mit Vorr\u00e4ten vollgestopft war. Das war nicht immer der Fall. Schiffswaffen galten einst als Luxus f\u00fcr die Reichen oder als gef\u00e4hrlich. Jetzt waren sie \u00fcberall. All dies machte Hickorys Arbeit etwas schwieriger und die Bezahlung etwas besser. Krieg hat immer unbeabsichtigte Folgen, dachte Hickory.\n\nEin Blitz von Clarice hatte die Nova get\u00f6tet und sie langsam durch den Raum treiben lassen. Hickory bestimmte schnell seine Geschwindigkeit und Flugbahn, um zu berechnen, wo er in ein paar Stunden sein w\u00fcrde. Er flog zu diesem Punkt der geplanten Route und schaltete sein Schiff ab. Er stellte einen Wecker, der in zwei Stunden klingeln sollte, damit er die Zeit nicht aus den Augen verlor. Dann verlie\u00df er schlie\u00dflich Dolos und kehrte mit EVA in Richtung Nova zur\u00fcck.\n\nW\u00e4hrend der EVA sah Hickory zu, wie Clarice heftig unter ihm herumwirbelte. Ihre Oberfl\u00e4che schien durch die elektrische Aktivit\u00e4t zu sprudeln. Dieser eine Blick kapselte Hickorys Verst\u00e4ndnis des Universums ein: schmerzhaft sch\u00f6n und unentschuldbar b\u00f6se.\n\nHickory erreichte das treibende Wrack und durchschlug schnell den Rumpf. Im Inneren fand er den Piloten am Steuer. Der Blitzschlag, der die Nova verbrannte, muss massiv gewesen sein. Die H\u00e4nde des Piloten waren am Flugstab versengt. Hickory \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte das Gebiet auf pers\u00f6nlichen Schmuck und wandte sich dann den Fluginstrumenten zu.\n\nEs w\u00e4re eine Zeitverschwendung, Komponenten zu bergen. Alles war verkohlt. Also \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte Hickory systematisch jeden Spalt des Schiffes und wurde dabei immer \u00e4rgerlicher. Wie kann es keine einzige Ladung geben? Je mehr er das Schiff erforschte, desto weniger Sinn machte es. Wie hatte er \u00fcberhaupt das Schiffszeichen aufgenommen, wenn alle Komponenten verbrannt waren? Irgendwas musste hier funktionieren.\n\nHickorys Taschenlampe scannte das Info-Terminal, um festzustellen, dass seine Frontplatte geschmolzen ist. Wenn dieses Schiff eine Komponente mit einem Top of the Line Surge Suppressor h\u00e4tte, dann w\u00e4re es dies. Also zog er sein Multi-Tool heraus und brach es vorsichtig auf.\n\nAls er seine Innereien betrachtete, wurden seine Augen weit. Es war ein XL-250i. Diese qualitativ hochwertige, milit\u00e4risch hochwertige Komponente war in einem viel besseren Zustand als die Cockpitkonsole. Es gab eine Chance, dass diese Sache noch funktionieren k\u00f6nnte. Wenn dies der Fall w\u00e4re, k\u00f6nnten die Komponenten allein schon signifikante Glaubensbekenntnisse und die darin enthaltenen Daten ausweisen. Hickory schloss sein speziell angefertigtes Hacking-Tool an die Stromversorgung an und gab ihm dann st\u00e4ndig Saft.\n\nDas System wurde zum Leben erweckt. Hickory widersetzte sich dem Drang, eine schnelle, hochrangige Bewertung der Daten vorzunehmen, und begann mit dem Herunterladen. Wahrscheinlich ist es besser, die Informationen an anderer Stelle zu \u00fcberpr\u00fcfen. Je fr\u00fcher das System abgeschaltet wurde, desto besser. Auch wenn sein Zeichen klein war, war er nicht der einzige, der Clarice nach Schiffswracks durchsuchte.\n\nHickory warf einen Blick auf das Hacking-Tool in seiner Hand, um zu sehen, dass der Download fast abgeschlossen ist. Das ging entt\u00e4uschend schnell. Hier sind wohl nicht viele Daten zu finden. Als die Statusleiste 100 % erreichte, zog er den Stecker seines Hacking-Tools und schaltete das System aus. Dann entfernte er schnell die wichtigsten Komponenten des Systems. Er tr\u00e4umte davon, sie f\u00fcr die Modernisierung seines Schiffes zu nutzen, aber er brauchte wirklich Creds. Wer wei\u00df das schon? Vielleicht w\u00e4ren die von ihm wiederhergestellten Daten mehr wert, als er erwartet hat.\n\nIm Vertrauen darauf, dass er alles gefunden hatte, was die Nova zu bieten hatte, \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte Hickory die Zeit. Es war ein wenig weniger als die zwei Stunden, die er sich selbst gegeben hatte, aber Dolos sollte nahe genug sein. Das Loch, das er in den Rumpf geschnitten hat, war \u00fcber ihm. Er holte tief Luft, aktivierte seine EVA-Triebwerke, zielte auf diesen Punkt und katapultierte sich in den Weltraum.\n\nEr hielt seine Flugbahn gerade, bis er das Schiff verlassen hatte. Er verlor den Verstand und fragte sich, welche Informationen er aus dem Schiff geholt hatte und welchen Preis sie einbringen k\u00f6nnten. Dann wurde ihm klar, dass er weiter abgewichen war als erwartet. Er betrat seinen Schiffsortungsplatz, als pl\u00f6tzlich der Raum hinter ihm wie ein Ofen gl\u00fchte.\n\nHickory t\u00f6tete die Triebwerke seines Anzugs und drehte sich um, um die Szene zu sehen. Die Nova, die er Minuten zuvor verlassen hatte, war nun zu einem Tr\u00fcmmerfeld geworden, die Flammen der Explosion waren im Vakuum schnell erloschen. Sein Herz blieb ihm in der Kehle stecken, als er sah, wie der Schakal das Wrack inspizierte, das er gerade geschaffen hatte.\n\nHickorys Puls raste. Er musste zu seinem Schiff gelangen und zwar schnell. Am besten ist es, weg zu sein, bevor das Tevarin-Sp\u00e4hschiff nach seinem n\u00e4chsten Ziel sucht.\n\n\"Drahk . . . . du h\u00e4ttest nicht ohne Warnung angreifen sollen.\" Die Ersch\u00f6pfung in Tajhbind's Stimme war offensichtlich. Drahk konnte Tajhbind's Blendung durch seinen Helm sp\u00fcren.\n\n\"Entschuldigen Sie vielmals, aber meine Scans haben eine empfindungsf\u00e4hige Signatur entdeckt, die das Schiff verl\u00e4sst.\"\n\n\"Warum haben Sie das dann nicht angegriffen?\"\n\nEs war eine einschneidende Frage, aber ein Drahk wusste, dass man von ihm keine Antwort erwartete. Drahk und Tajhbind waren die meiste Zeit des Krieges Kopiloten. Drahks juckender Abzugsfinger und andere offensive M\u00e4ngel wurden toleriert, weil er ein Meister des Phalanxschilds war. Drahks St\u00e4rken erg\u00e4nzten zuf\u00e4llig die Schw\u00e4chen von Tajhbind und umgekehrt, so dass sie ein t\u00f6dliches Duo bildeten. Drahk absorbierte und lenkte das Feuer aus allen Winkeln ab, was es Tajhbind erm\u00f6glichte, sich auf den Kampf zu konzentrieren.\n\n\"Es ist ok, aber ich brauche Sie in der Reihe. Wer wei\u00df, ob es auf dem Schiff etwas gab, das -\"\n\n\"Was ist das?\"\n\nEin unidentifiziertes Schiff erschien auf Drahks Radar. Es war knapp, und sein Zeichen wurde mit jeder Sekunde st\u00e4rker. Drahk wusste, was das bedeutet.\n\n\"Es ist ein menschliches Schiff!\"\n\nDer Quantenantrieb des Schiffes beendete das Spulen, als die Tajhbind aus beiden F\u00e4ssern feuerte. Seine Sch\u00fcsse durchbohrten die H\u00fclle, als der Quantenantrieb eingriff. Das Schiff stotterte und drehte sich in eine neue Richtung und beschleunigte sich dann pl\u00f6tzlich in die dunkle Weite.\n\nWieso hatte Drahk nicht bemerkt, dass sich in der N\u00e4he ein weiteres Schiff versteckt hatte? Sein Versagen k\u00f6nnte die Besatzung und die Mission von Ekoraapt gef\u00e4hrden. Laut der Rijora bestand die einzige M\u00f6glichkeit darin, sofort zu gestehen.\n\n\"Ich habe meine Pflicht Ihnen gegen\u00fcber versagt, Tajhbind. Mein unverantwortlicher und \u00fcbereifriger Angriff hinderte mich daran, meine Scanaufgaben ordnungsgem\u00e4\u00df auszuf\u00fchren. Ich verspreche der heiligen Rijora, Goth'raj doah, dass ich alles tun werde, um dieses Unrecht zu berichtigen oder das Schicksal zu erleiden, das mir angemessen erscheint -\".\n\n\"Wenn die Menschen herausfinden, dass wir im System sind, wird unser Leben, nicht unsere Ehre, auf dem Spiel stehen. Wir m\u00fcssen uns darauf konzentrieren, das erste zu erhalten, bevor wir das zweite reparieren.\n\nTajhbind nahm Kontakt mit Ekoraapt auf und erkl\u00e4rte die Situation. Sie wurden zur R\u00fcckkehr aufgefordert. Dank dieser entt\u00e4uschenden Begegnung mussten die Schlachtpl\u00e4ne beschleunigt werden.\n\nBevor er sich abmeldete, fragte Tajhbind, ob es Neuigkeiten \u00fcber Corath'Thals Angriff auf Centauri g\u00e4be. Die gesamte Besatzung hatte nerv\u00f6s auf ein Update gewartet, aber es gab immer noch keine Neuigkeiten. Drahk lie\u00df sich durch den Mangel an Informationen nicht entmutigen. Die Entfernung zwischen den Caliban an der Front bedeutete, dass Informationsverz\u00f6gerungen unvermeidlich waren.\n\nDrahk blieb \u00e4u\u00dferst zuversichtlich, dass Corath'Thals Plan funktionieren w\u00fcrde. Der Angriff von Ekoraapt auf Crion w\u00fcrde die Ressourcen der UEE auf Caliban umleiten und die Verst\u00e4rkung davon abhalten, sich dem Hauptkampf anzuschlie\u00dfen. Schlie\u00dflich w\u00fcrde die Rijora die Tevarin zum Sieg \u00fcber die Menschen f\u00fchren, und sie w\u00fcrden Kaleeth f\u00fcr sich selbst zur\u00fcckfordern.\n\nHickory hatte das Gl\u00fcck, am Leben zu sein und wusste es. Dieser Tevarin war ein verdammt guter Sch\u00fctze. Die Geschosse trafen sein Schiff, als der Quantenantrieb einschaltete und seine Flugbahn \u00e4nderte. Gl\u00fccklicherweise korrigierte Dolos Kurs, bevor die G-Kr\u00e4fte t\u00f6dlich wurden. Obwohl er \u00fcberlebte, schmerzte sein Kopf h\u00f6llisch.\n\nAugenblicke sp\u00e4ter stotterte Dolos und fiel aus dem Quantenantrieb. W\u00e4hrend er den Schaden an seinen Systemen pr\u00fcfte, wurde ihm klar, wie weit er vom Kurs abgekommen war. Hickory z\u00fcndete die Triebwerke und schwang sich zur\u00fcck in Richtung Crion.\n\nHickory hatte etwas Distanz zwischen sich und den Tevarin gelegt, aber er f\u00fcrchtete nicht genug. Kaliban IV leuchtete in der Ferne noch schwach. Das war nur eines seiner Probleme. Ihm ging nicht nur der Quantenkraftstoff aus, sondern der Antrieb wurde besch\u00e4digt. Das waren aber nicht die schlimmsten Stellen. Hickory berechnete die Entfernung zu Crion und best\u00e4tigte, dass ihm selbst mit seinen konventionellen Triebwerken bei voller Verbrennung der Sauerstoff ausgehen w\u00fcrde, bevor er irgendwo eine Atmosph\u00e4re erreichen w\u00fcrde.\n\nHickory betrachtete die Ausstrahlung eines Notrufsignals, wusste aber, wer auf die Menschen in diesem Teil des Raums reagierte: Menschen wie er selbst, die f\u00fcr die Notlage von niemandem au\u00dfer ihrer eigenen kein Mitleid haben. Au\u00dferdem k\u00f6nnte das Signal nur die Aufmerksamkeit des geflohenen Tevarins erregen. H\u00f6chstwahrscheinlich w\u00fcrde niemand kommen, bevor es zu sp\u00e4t ist. Das w\u00e4re ein Best-Case-Szenario.\n\nHickory starrte ins All. Es war einfach sein Gl\u00fcck. Die Komponenten des XL-250i und die Daten auf diesem Laufwerk waren wahrscheinlich mehr als genug, um seinen Plan auszuf\u00fchren. Nun wurde er, anstatt nach Kins aufzubrechen, in Caliban ausgesetzt.\n\nHickory stellte den Autopiloten ein und kletterte aus dem Pilotensitz in eines der Stauf\u00e4cher des Schiffes. Im Inneren sa\u00df ein fadenscheiniges Pl\u00fcschtier auf einer Kiste mit Whisky im Alter von Angeli. Hickory bewegte die Plattkatze vorsichtig, knackte die Whisky-Kiste und schnappte sich eine Flasche. Er goss sich ein gesundes Glas Whiskey ein und setzte sich dann in stiller Betrachtung auf seine Koje.\n\nDer Whiskey brannte nach unten und pulsierte dann bis zu seinem schmerzenden Kopf. Er starrte auf das ihm gegen\u00fcberliegende Terminal. Dann ging er zu ihm hin\u00fcber und schloss sein Hacking-Tool an. Was gab es noch anderes zu tun, als zu trinken und zu sehen, welche Informationen das alles wert waren?\n\nEs dauerte nicht lange, bis sich Hickorys Kopf von etwas anderem als dem Getr\u00e4nk drehte. Die Datei enthielt nur eines - ein unterschriebenes Tevarin-Instrument zur Kapitulation.\n\nDer Mund wurde pl\u00f6tzlich trocken und Hickory sch\u00fcttete den restlichen Inhalt seines Glases hinunter. Er las die Botschaft zum millionsten Mal erneut. Der Krieg war zu Ende. Er konnte es fast nicht glauben.\n\nDer zweite Tevarin-Krieg war vorbei.\n\nAls n\u00e4chstes \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte er die Kommunikationsprotokolle der Nova, um eine fehlgeschlagene \u00dcbertragung an die UEES Crescent zu sehen. Das Kurierschiff muss die Nachricht \u00fcber das Kriegsende nach Crescent gehetzt haben, als es gezappt wurde. Es bestand die M\u00f6glichkeit, dass Crescent nichts davon wusste. Das bedeutete, dass er wahrscheinlich der erste Mensch in ganz Caliban war, der es wusste. Zweiter, wenn Sie den ungl\u00fccklichen Piloten gez\u00e4hlt haben.\n\nHickory hatte pl\u00f6tzlich einen Gedanken. Angesichts seiner Vergangenheit war dies ein prek\u00e4rer Vorschlag, aber soweit er sehen konnte, gab es keine bessere Option. Wenn er das richtig gemacht hat, k\u00f6nnte er diese Information vielleicht in Nachsicht mit seinen vergangenen \u00dcbertretungen verwandeln?\n\nHickory schnappte sich die Flasche und nahm einen weiteren Zug, so dass die W\u00e4rme ihn \u00fcbersp\u00fclen konnte. Dann kletterte er ins Cockpit und korrigierte den Kurs noch einmal. Augenblicke sp\u00e4ter aktivierte er ein Notsignal.\n\nZum ersten Mal in seinem Leben hoffte Hickory, dass das Milit\u00e4r der UEE ihn finden w\u00fcrde.\n\nCommander Wallace untersuchte die zerschrammten und zerkratzten Sternenm\u00e4nner vor ihr. Wenn ihre Verletzungen ein Hinweis darauf waren, war es ein fairer Kampf.\n\n\"Das Durcheinander verwandelte sich wegen dieser beiden in einen wahren Krawall\", sagte XO Coburn, als er das angeschlagene Paar mit seinem charakteristischen finsteren Blick anblickte. Sein Gesicht, verh\u00e4rtet und vernarbt von den Jahren des aktiven Dienstes, lie\u00df keinen Zweifel daran, dass er nur ein Leben kannte - das Milit\u00e4r.\n\nDie beiden Sternenm\u00e4nner h\u00e4ngten ihre K\u00f6pfe auf und nahmen den vor ihrem Schreibtisch liegenden Teppich in Empfang. Soweit sie wusste, war es die einzige an Bord der Crescent; ein bisschen W\u00e4rme inmitten des Schiffsmetalls.\n\n\"Es scheint, dass Sie beide eine andere M\u00f6glichkeit brauchen, um Ihre H\u00e4nde zu besch\u00e4ftigen. XO Coburn, weisen Sie diesen beiden Sternenm\u00e4nnern Besen zu und sorgen Sie daf\u00fcr, dass sie \u00fcberall, wo sie hingehen, den Boden vor ihnen fegen\".\n\n\"Mit Vergn\u00fcgen.\" Ein verschmitztes L\u00e4cheln spannte sich \u00fcber Coburns Gesicht.\n\n\"In der n\u00e4chsten Woche werden diese Besen Ihre H\u00e4nde nicht verlassen, es sei denn, ein Vorgesetzter hat dies angeordnet. Verstanden?\"\n\nDie Sternenm\u00e4nner antworteten bejahend, salutierten und wurden dann entlassen. Als sich die T\u00fcr hinter ihnen schloss, wandte sich Commander Wallace wieder an ihren Computer, um zu sehen, ob die von ihr durchgef\u00fchrte Simulation der von Crescent geplanten Route an Caliban IV vorbei beendet war. Sie wollte sicherstellen, dass das Schiff seinem w\u00fctenden Sturm gen\u00fcgend Raum gibt.\n\n\"Dieser Mitchell ist ein echtes St\u00fcck Arbeit. Wie wird ein Typ mit bekannten Wutproblemen einem Kreuzer zugewiesen? Er h\u00e4tte es nie so weit geschafft, wenn die Marine nicht so verzweifelt versucht h\u00e4tte, ihre Schiffe zu besetzen.\n\n\"Dasselbe k\u00f6nnte man auch von mir sagen\", kehrte Commander Wallace zur\u00fcck.\n\nDer Zorn des XO lie\u00df in einer Welle der Peinlichkeit nach. Wallace wusste nicht, dass der Grizzly-Soldat es in sich hatte.\n\n\"Irgendein Update zu der unterbrochenen \u00dcbertragung von vorhin?\"\n\nXO Coburn ist sichtlich entspannt und dankbar daf\u00fcr, dass das Gespr\u00e4ch wieder auf sicheres Terrain zur\u00fcckgekehrt ist.\n\n\"Nein, Sir. Das Signal ging fast sofort verloren. Da es keine versuchte Weiterleitung gab, glaubt der Kommunikationsoffizier Fitzpatrick, dass es sich um eine elektrische St\u00f6rung durch den Sturm handeln k\u00f6nnte, aber die Sp\u00e4her suchen noch immer, Sir\".\n\n\"Das ist alles f\u00fcr den Moment, Coburn. Sie sind entlassen.\"\n\nCoburn drehte sich um, um zu gehen, und dachte dann besser dar\u00fcber nach. Er drehte sich zur\u00fcck zum Schreibtisch und blieb stehen, kurz bevor seine F\u00fc\u00dfe den Teppich erreichten.\n\n\"Eigentlich, Herr Kommandant, gibt es etwas, das Ihnen meiner Meinung nach bewusst gemacht werden sollte. Ich glaube nicht, dass diese K\u00e4mpfe aufh\u00f6ren werden. Die Menschen stellen andere Loyalit\u00e4ten \u00fcber diejenige zu diesem Schiff. Dieser Kampf im Chaos - niemand hat dar\u00fcber gesprochen. Meiner Erfahrung nach ist es gut, in den S\u00e4len Klatsch und Tratsch zu h\u00f6ren. Zumindest bedeutet es, dass die Menschen kommunizieren. Dieser Ort ist ruhiger als ein verdammtes Geisterschiff\".\n\nKommandant Wallace rieb ihr die Schl\u00e4fe. Sie brauchte nicht die st\u00e4ndigen Aktualisierungen von Coburn, um sie \u00fcber die Unzufriedenheit der Besatzung zu informieren. Sie konnte es sp\u00fcren, w\u00e4hrend sie durch die Hallen ging.\n\n\"Irgendwelche Empfehlungen, wie die Situation zu l\u00f6sen ist?\"\n\nCoburn z\u00f6gerte zuvor einen Moment:\n\n\"Nein, Sir.\"\n\n\"Sie k\u00f6nnen frei sprechen.\"\n\nCoburn dachte einen Moment nach und schaute ihr dann direkt in die Augen.\n\n\"Sie k\u00e4mpfen, weil ihnen ein F\u00fchrer fehlt. Das sollst du sein.\"\n\nF\u00fcr einige angespannte Momente hing die Stille im Raum. Sein Kommunikator hat gepinnt. Coburn hat es \u00fcberpr\u00fcft.\n\n\"Sir, in Sektor 4 patrouillierende Sp\u00e4her haben gerade auf ein Notsignal reagiert. Sie haben das Schiff angehalten und bringen den Lotsen zur Befragung her. Sie sagen, dass etwas an ihm seltsam ist\".\n\n\"Seltsam, wie . . . ?\u201d Wallace antwortete und sammelte sich selbst.\n\nDas Foto eines Mannes mit einem hageren Gesicht, hohen Wangenknochen und wilden blauen Augen erschien auf einer nahe gelegenen Wandleinwand. \"Sie haben seinen Namen \u00fcberpr\u00fcft. Er sollte tot sein.\"\n\nCommander Wallace betrat den Verh\u00f6rraum und machte eine doppelte Aufnahme. Hickory sa\u00df auf der anderen Seite des Tisches, aber sein Gesicht hatte wenig \u00c4hnlichkeit mit dem Bild. Die hohen, eckigen Wangenknochen waren verschwunden. Offensichtlich hatte er eine Gesichtsrekonstruktions-Operation, vielleicht sogar mehrere Male. Es gab mehr Unterschiede als Gemeinsamkeiten, aber etwas in den Augen klingt wahr. Kommandant Wallace wandte ihren Blick ab und nahm Platz.\n\n\"Es ist OK, Captain...\"\n\n\"Commander Wallace.\"\n\n\"Ah . . . . Commander, tut mir leid. F\u00fchlen Sie sich nicht schlecht. Ich bin die Blicke inzwischen gewohnt. Wie lautet der Ausdruck noch einmal? Ein Gesicht wie geschaffen f\u00fcr einen Weltraumhelm. Nur wenige Operationen von einer Reihe verrufener \u00c4rzte waren n\u00f6tig, um sie zu bekommen\".\n\nEin ungleichm\u00e4\u00dfiges L\u00e4cheln erstreckte sich von Ohr zu Ohr.\n\nKommandant Wallace blieb ausdruckslos. \"Wie soll ich dich nennen?\"\n\n\"Nun, bei den Blicken, die Sie mir zuwerfen, sch\u00e4tze ich, dass Sie meinen Namen schon kennen.\"\n\n\"Ich habe einen Namen. Ein Andrew Lime, geboren 2542 auf Cestulus. Gestorben in Jata, w\u00e4hrend der Begehung eines Verbrechens im Jahre 2567. So wie Sie aussehen, w\u00fcrde ich sagen, dass Sie noch nicht ganz tot sind, so dass ich mich immer noch frage, wer genau Sie sind\".\n\n\"Andrew Lime und ich sind ein und derselbe, Commander. Es ist eine interessante Geschichte, aber es sind nicht die Informationen, die Sie jetzt h\u00f6ren m\u00fcssen\".\n\n\"Woher wissen Sie, was ich h\u00f6ren muss?\"\n\n\"Nehmen wir an, ich bin auf Daten gesto\u00dfen, die f\u00fcr Ihr Schiff und Ihre Besatzung von entscheidender Bedeutung sind.\"\n\nZwischen ihnen lag Schweigen. Commander Wallace konnte Whisky in seinem Atem riechen. Sie debattierte dar\u00fcber, das Interview sofort zu beenden, aber trotz allem sagte sie schlie\u00dflich: \"Wann immer Sie bereit sind . . .\"\n\n\"Sehen Sie, es ist nicht so einfach. Wie Sie so freundlich waren, darauf hinzuweisen, dass ich eigentlich tot sein m\u00fcsste. Und, sagen wir einfach, die UEE wird nicht die einzige sein, die \u00fcberrascht sein wird, dass ich noch am Leben bin\".\n\n\"Wenn Ihre Informationen solide sind, werde ich bei der Anwaltschaft ein gutes Wort einlegen. Es gibt viele Gef\u00e4ngnisse in abgelegenen Systemen, in denen Sie sicher sind\".\n\n\"Das wird bei mir nicht funktionieren.\"\n\n\"Kein Syndikat hat Verbindungen zu jedem Gef\u00e4ngnis. Die Anwaltschaft kann Sie am Leben erhalten, wenn Sie ehrlich dar\u00fcber sind, wer hinter Ihnen her ist\".\n\n\"Es ist nicht das Syndikat, um das ich mir Sorgen mache...\" Hickorys Gesicht wurde zum ersten Mal weicher.\n\nCommander Wallace atmete aus und lehnte sich in ihrem Stuhl zur\u00fcck, m\u00fcde von seinen kryptischen und ausweichenden Antworten. \"Nun, dann... was wollen Sie?\"\n\n\"Sichere Durchreise zum Banu-Protektorat.\"\n\nCommander Wallace kicherte und rollte mit den Augen. Sie hoffte insgeheim, dass er nach etwas Interessanterem fragen w\u00fcrde. \"Gibt es noch etwas anderes als Immunit\u00e4t f\u00fcr Ihre Verbrechen?\"\n\n\"Deshalb muss ich nicht dorthin gehen.\"\n\n\"Nein, nur ein hilfreiches Nebenprodukt.\" Kommandant Wallace stand auf. Ein besorgter Blick wusch \u00fcber Hickorys Gesicht. \"Keine Information ist wertvoll genug, um ein so umfangreiches Strafregister zu l\u00f6schen.\"\n\n\"Das ist...\"\n\nKommandant Wallace drehte sich zur T\u00fcr.\n\n\"Der Krieg ist vorbei\", rief Hickory ihr nach. Sie hielt an und kehrte um. \"Ich habe eine Art Instrument der Kapitulation von der Tevarin von einem zerst\u00f6rten milit\u00e4rischen Kurierschiff geborgen.\"\n\n\"Uh huh. Und wo genau war dieses Schiff?\"\n\n\"Koordinaten werden nicht helfen. Einige Tevarin haben es zerst\u00f6rt.\"\n\n\"Tevarin? In Caliban\"?\n\n\"Wer, glauben Sie, hat mein Schiff markiert? Und wenn es da drau\u00dfen einen Schakal gibt, k\u00f6nnen Sie darauf wetten, dass er Freunde in der N\u00e4he hat\".\n\nKommandant Wallace setzte sich wieder hin. \"Wo ist also dieses Instrument der Kapitulation?\"\n\n\"Ich brauche Zusicherungen, Commander, bevor ich so etwas \u00fcbergebe.\"\n\n\"Also ist es nicht hier.\"\n\n\"Es befindet sich auf meinem Schiff, das, wie ich hinzuf\u00fcgen m\u00f6chte, Ihre Sp\u00e4her darauf bestanden, irgendwo im Weltraum zu verschwinden, anstatt es hierher zu bringen.\n\n\"Die Landung eines nicht genehmigten Schiffes an Bord eines Frachters ist in Kriegszeiten verboten.\"\n\n\"Nun, technisch gesehen befinden Sie sich nicht mehr im Krieg.\"\n\nKommandant Wallace rieb sich die Schl\u00e4fen und durchdachte die Dinge. Schlie\u00dflich stand sie auf und ging auf die T\u00fcr zu. Hickory beobachtete ihren Weggang.\n\n\"Haben wir eine Abmachung?\" Die T\u00fcr schlug mit einem Klicken zu.\n\nDrahk eilte durch die Hallen des Schiffes. Er fuhr fachm\u00e4nnisch durch den Verkehr, w\u00e4hrend Tajhbind versuchte, mitzuhalten. Drahk war auf dem Olymp verwaist und in der Schale des zerst\u00f6rten UEE-Hauptschiffes aufgewachsen. Er \u00fcberlebte, indem er sich versteckte und durch seine G\u00e4nge eilte, bis ihn eines Tages ein Tevarin-Verk\u00e4ufer dabei erwischte, wie er aus seinem Stand stahl. Statt Drahk zu bestrafen, zeigte der Verk\u00e4ufer Gnade. Drahk k\u00f6nnte sich an seinem Stand verpflegen, wenn er sich die Zeit nehmen w\u00fcrde, die Rijora auswendig zu lernen und die Geschichte seines gro\u00dfen Rennens zu erfahren.\n\nDie Rijora wurde Drahks Lebensader, und er widmete sich ihr. Als der Zweite Tevarin-Krieg begann, verlie\u00df Drahk den Olymp, um sich in den Kampf um die R\u00fcckeroberung Kaleeths einzuschalten. Sein Engagement f\u00fcr die Sache war unbestreitbar, und obwohl er deutlich weniger Flugzeit als die meisten anderen hatte, stieg Drahk durch die Reihen auf, um Pilot zu werden.\n\nVer\u00e4rgert rief Tajhbind schlie\u00dflich aus: \"Wohin gehst du, das erfordert eine solche Eile?\n\nDrahk ging um eine Ecke und ging eine Treppe zwei Stufen nacheinander hinauf. Tajhbind erkannte pl\u00f6tzlich, wohin er unterwegs war, und brach schnell in einen Lauf ein, in der Hoffnung, Drahk noch vor seiner Ankunft zu erwischen.\n\nDie hochrangigen Piloten von Ekoraapt str\u00f6mten zur Einsatzzeremonie in die Einsatzzentrale. Ein rijorianischer Gesang berief das Treffen ein. Tajhbind packte Drahks Arm vor der T\u00fcr.\n\n\"Sich f\u00fcr die erste Angriffstruppe freiwillig zu melden, wird Ihre Ehre nicht wiederherstellen. Erkennen Sie Ihre Grenzen, Drahk. Denken Sie daran, dass es eine St\u00e4rke ist, seine Schw\u00e4chen zu kennen\".\n\nDrahk l\u00e4chelte. Er hat auf Tajhbind abgef\u00e4rbt. Dies war das erste Mal, dass er Drahk \u00fcber die Rijora referierte. Ein Gesang hallte durch die Einsatzzentrale und forderte Freiwillige f\u00fcr die erste Angriffswelle auf Crions gr\u00f6\u00dften Bienenstock der Menschheit, die Stadt Boro, an.\n\nDrahk wiederholte die Worte an Tajhbind: \"Geht mit hoch erhobenem Kopf voran, aber ehrt den Boden und respektiert den Himmel. Man muss diese Ziele im Auge behalten, wenn wir \u00fcberleben wollen. Wurde Ihnen jemals beigebracht, was dieser Gesang bedeutet?\"\n\n\"Ein Krieger muss sich selbst treu sein, um am Leben zu bleiben.\"\n\n\"Das ist eine moderne Fehlinterpretation. Sie entstand in der 16. Epoche. Eine Zeit, in der nur die Tapfersten die H\u00f6hlen von Kaleeth verlie\u00dfen, und zwar niemals allein. Sie gingen Seite an Seite und sangen diese Worte, um in Formation zu bleiben. Bei diesem Gesang ging es nie um das \u00dcberleben des Individuums. Es ist eine Erinnerung daran, dass wir f\u00fcr das \u00dcberleben unserer Spezies k\u00e4mpfen\".\n\n\"Wir leben nicht mehr in H\u00f6hlen, Drahk. Ganz zu schweigen von Kaleeth. Wenn wir uns nicht anpassen, wenn sich unsere Wege nicht mit der Zeit \u00e4ndern, haben wir keine Hoffnung.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich drang die Stimme von Flightmaster Suldrath durch die Schiffshallen. \"Verteidiger von Rijora, menschliche Milit\u00e4rschiffe sind in der N\u00e4he erschienen. Melden Sie sich auf Ihren Positionen und warten Sie auf weitere Anweisungen.\"\n\nTajhbind begann in Richtung des Hangars. Drahk blieb an Ort und Stelle und beobachtete die Einsatzzentrale. Er wusste, dass er immer noch einen Auftrag erhalten k\u00f6nnte, wenn er sich freiwillig melden w\u00fcrde. Niemand w\u00fcrde seinen Wunsch, das N\u00f6tige zu tun, in Frage stellen.\n\n\"Drahk, komm schon, lass uns gehen.\"\n\nDrahk wandte sich an Tajhbind, dessen Augen ihn dazu aufforderten, ihm zu folgen. Drahk konnte sich nicht daran erinnern, wann er das letzte Mal ohne ihn geflogen ist. Der Gedanke, sich ohne Tajhbind an seiner Seite ins Get\u00fcmmel zu st\u00fcrzen, setzte schlie\u00dflich ein.\n\nDie Rijora hatte ihn nach Ekoraapt gebracht und sich aus gutem Grund mit Tajhbind angefreundet. Jetzt war nicht die Zeit, dies zu leugnen. Augenblicke sp\u00e4ter rannte Drahk den Saal hinunter und am Tajhbind vorbei. Wie immer f\u00fchrte Drahk den Weg zum Flugdeck.\n\nHickory notierte die Zeit. Warum hat das so lange gedauert? Sie sollten schon jetzt in der Lage sein, Dolos zur\u00fcck nach Crescent zu schleppen.\n\nHickory hatte Schwierigkeiten, herauszufinden, wie seine letzte Interaktion mit Wallace verlaufen war. Sie schien definitiv an den Nachrichten \u00fcber die Kapitulation interessiert, aber sie hatte sich nicht ganz auf seine Forderungen festgelegt.\n\nNat\u00fcrlich hing alles davon ab, dass er Wallace zeigte, dass er die Wahrheit sagte. Die Verh\u00f6rt\u00fcr \u00f6ffnete sich und zwei Marines kamen herein.\n\n\"Endlich . . . . also kommt Commander Wallace zu uns auf mein Schiff?\"\n\nAls ein Marine Wache stand, zog der andere Hickory die Arme hinter seinen R\u00fccken und legte ihm Handschellen an.\n\n\"Kommt schon, Leute. Sie m\u00fcssen sie nur r\u00fcckg\u00e4ngig machen, damit ich auf mein Terminal zugreifen kann.\"\n\nDie Marine hinter Hickory stie\u00df ihn nach vorne. \"Es gibt keine Terminals in der Brigg.\"\n\nHickory hielt inne: \"Commander Wallace und ich haben eine Abmachung\".\n\nDer Marine vor ihm zuckte die Achseln. \"Das stimmt, sie sagt, Sie bekommen die beste Zelle.\"\n\nDie T\u00fcr rutschte zur\u00fcck, und Hickory bemerkte sofort die Ver\u00e4nderung des Schiffes seit seiner ersten Einschiffung. Starmen eilten in schnellen, gezielten Schritten vorbei, niemand machte sich die M\u00fche, ihm auch nur einen zweiten Blick zuzuwerfen. Mist. Er hatte genug Scharm\u00fctzel erlebt, um zu erkennen, dass er sich pl\u00f6tzlich in einem befindet.\n\nDer Lauf eines Gewehrs schob Hickory nach vorne. Er war halbwegs entschlossen, ihnen das Leben schwer zu machen, aber er dachte besser dar\u00fcber nach. Wenn Wallace wirklich im Begriff war, sich mit dem Tevarin zu messen, w\u00e4re es wahrscheinlich klug, so viele w\u00fctende Marines zwischen ihm und ihnen zu lassen wie m\u00f6glich.\n\nCommander Wallace sa\u00df am Terminal in ihrem Quartier. Sie hat die Koordinaten von Crescent und dann die letzte bekannte Position der Tevarin-Schiffe in das Simulationsprogramm hochgeladen. Als die Verarbeitung begann, trat XO Coburn ein.\n\n\"Ich habe Ihnen gerade die Sch\u00e4tzungen des Sp\u00e4hers \u00fcber die Gr\u00f6\u00dfe der tevarinschen Truppen geschickt, Sir. Wenn sie wahr sind, sind wir unterlegen. Wir werden nicht genug Feuerkraft oder Ressourcen haben, um ihre Phalanx zu \u00fcberwinden\".\n\nCommander Wallace gab die neuen Daten ein und f\u00fchrte die Simulation durch. Coburns Augen wanderten zur Leinwand, um sie spielen zu sehen. Ausgehend von der aktuellen Flugbahn der Tevarin-Truppen wurde ihr Ziel klar: die Zivilbev\u00f6lkerung von Crion. Eine Position, von der sich Crescent entfernte. Wenn sie nicht sofort handeln w\u00fcrde, h\u00e4tten sie keine Chance, es zu verteidigen.\n\nEin Gef\u00fchl des Versinkens traf sie in der Magengrube, \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigte ihre Sinne und tr\u00fcbte ihren Verstand. Ihr Kopf drehte sich vor einer Verantwortung, die sich bis jetzt nicht real gef\u00fchlt hatte - das war alles ihre Schuld.\n\n\"Sir, ein weiteres Update von den Pfadfindern. Sie sind entdeckt worden.\"\n\n\"Man kann also davon ausgehen, dass sich ihre Pl\u00e4ne beschleunigt haben.\"\n\n\"Ja, Sir.\"\n\nCommander Wallace zitterte die H\u00e4nde, als sie die Simulation an die neue Zeitlinie anpasste. Sie atmete tief ein, um ihre Nerven zu beruhigen, dann h\u00f6rte sie auf zu tippen. Dies war eine Zeit des Handelns, nicht der Projektionen.\n\n\"Wir m\u00fcssen auf die Br\u00fccke.\"\n\nCommander Wallace eilte mit Coburn auf den Fersen aus dem Quartier.\n\n\"Gibt es Neues von den Sp\u00e4hern, die Limes Schiff bergen sollen?\"\n\n\"Sie wurden als letzte gestartet, Sir. Meiner Einsch\u00e4tzung nach werden sie erst in 10 Minuten dort ankommen. Aber ich k\u00f6nnte vorschlagen, sie zur\u00fcckzurufen. Wir werden jedes einzelne Schiff brauchen, wenn wir eine Chance haben, die Tevarin zu stoppen, bevor sie Crion erreichen.\n\nCommander Wallace kaute auf dem Vorschlag herum: \"Aber wenn das Instrument der Kapitulation g\u00fcltig ist, k\u00f6nnte das alles vorbei sein, bevor es \u00fcberhaupt begonnen hat.\n\n\"Wenn er die Wahrheit sagt. Das ist, bevor man \u00fcberhaupt in Betracht zieht, ob die tevarinschen Streitkr\u00e4fte glauben w\u00fcrden, dass der Krieg vorbei sei. In meinem e ie Erfahrung, gute Kommandeure \u00fcberlassen so wenig wie m\u00f6glich dem Zufall\".\n\nDie beiden kamen um eine Ecke und n\u00e4herten sich der Br\u00fccke.\n\n\"Kommandant . . .\" Coburn verlangsamte sein Tempo und fiel einen Schritt zur\u00fcck, \"wenn ich einen Moment mit Ihnen sprechen d\u00fcrfte, bevor wir die Br\u00fccke betreten?\n\nCommander Wallace hielt an und stellte sich Coburn gegen\u00fcber. Seine Augen tasteten den Saal ab, um ihn leer zu finden, dann wurde sein strenges Gesicht weich. \"Es wird keinen guten Weg geben, mit dieser Situation umzugehen. Wir werden eine feindliche H\u00f6lle jagen, die darauf aus ist, unschuldigen Zivilisten, die nichts mit diesem Krieg zu tun haben, Tod und Zerst\u00f6rung zu bringen. Als Streitkraft sind wir \u00fcberfordert und bereits au\u00dfer Position. Wir wissen das, aber das ist unsere Last, die wir zu tragen haben, nicht die der Besatzung. Sie brauchen nur zwei Dinge: ihre Arbeit zu tun und Vertrauen in ihren Kommandeur zu haben. Verstanden?\"\n\nKommandant Wallace nickte.\n\n\"Sind Sie bereit, Sir?\"\n\n\"Immer im Dienste des Imperiums.\"\n\n\"Immer im Dienst des Reiches, Sir.\"\n\nKommandant Wallace ballte die F\u00e4uste und hoffte, jedes Qu\u00e4ntchen nerv\u00f6ser Energie herauszuquetschen. Dann ging sie von XO Coburn weg und auf die Br\u00fccke.\n\nDie Besatzung schnappte nach Aufmerksamkeit und war gespannt, welche Befehle sie erwartete. Commander Wallace griff nach den Comms, hielt aber inne. Ein Moment des Zweifels und der Unentschlossenheit packte sie, dann verging sie. Sie holte tief Luft und dr\u00fcckte dann den Knopf.\n\n\"Hier ist Commander Wallace. Alle Besatzungsmitglieder auf die Kampfstationen. Dies ist keine \u00dcbung. Ich wiederhole, dies ist keine \u00dcbung. Bereiten Sie sich auf die Schlacht vor.\"\n\nWIRD FORTGESETZT...","zh_CN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Instrument of Surrender (Part One) was published originally in Jump Point 4.5.\n[June 24, 2610 \u2014 Elysium System]\n\nAt the end of the jump tunnel, space shimmered, rippled, then revealed the Kaleeth\u2019ala System. Corath\u2019Thal stared into the dark void from the bridge of his ship. His view of the expanse that lay before his fleet danced slightly as the shield that enrobed the full length of the massive craft readjusted and settled into place almost with a life of its own.\n\nFrom the edge of his vision he could sense the shieldmaster making her practiced adjustments, but he could also tell that under her calm exterior, she thrummed with excitement. This was more than the rush that always followed a battle. This was something new. Something that none of them had dared allow themselves to feel before now.\n\nEven though the distant drift spread before him looked similar to other systems, he knew it was so much more. After everything they had been through over the past seven years, he had finally brought his people home.\n\nThe remnants of Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s main fleet poured from the Centauri-Elysium jump point. He didn\u2019t have much time to lead the survivors to their homeworld of Kaleeth. The UEE forces that ambushed them on the Centauri side of the jump would not be far behind, and Corath\u2019Thal had made up his mind. This war would end on his terms, whether in victory or defeat.\n\nCorath\u2019Thal signaled Rados to carry his voice to his depleted fleet.\n\n\u201cWhen we started down this path, we had no home. Only a world once ours that was ripped away. I vowed that if you fought with me, I would bring you home. That the Rijora would provide us a path to victory . . .\u201d\n\nCorath\u2019Thal paused while the words in his throat quivered.\n\n\u201cAfter the events of today, I know that either the Rijora has failed us, or we have failed the Rijora. I\u2019m not sure if there\u2019s a difference anymore. But what I am sure of is that I will fulfill the first promise I made myself and all of you. I am going home.\u201d\n\nBefore he could continue, the clear resonance of the warning chime vibrated through the hull and echoed through the halls of the capital ship. Corath\u2019Thal checked the scans. Human ships burned to their position en masse.\n\n\u201cThose who wish to commit themselves to the lands of our ancestors, follow me. Those who don\u2019t, use my advance as your chance to escape. May you live to fight another day. Goth\u2019raj doah!\u201d\n\nCorath\u2019Thal scanned the faces of those who served on the bridge; none meet his gaze but instead stared towards where their home lay ahead in the far distance. Each accepted their fate in their own way. Sensors screamed as the ship\u2019s shield absorbed the first wave of attacks from the approaching UEE forces.\n\n\u201cGoth\u2019raj doah!\u201d Rados bellowed, barely able to keep emotion from overwhelming his voice.\n\nIn unison, the crew responded, \u201cGoth\u2019raj doah!\u201d\n\nAs the Tevarin fleet blazed across Elysium towards their homeworld of Kaleeth, UEE soldiers raced to battle stations in anticipation of an all-out assault on the world they had renamed Jalan. In the sky above, UEE Navy ships scrambled to form a semblance of a blockade.\n\nBut the Tevarin fleet did not fall into their traditional phalanx formation. They did not even return fire when attacked. They either fell to the barrage of shots that perforated their hulls or shrugged them off and went faster. As the Tevarin ships approached Kaleeth\u2019s atmosphere, they lowered their powerful shields.\n\nCorath\u2019Thal watched the Tevarin ships before him pierce the atmosphere, then rip apart. Sadness swelled as he grasped the terrible fate that awaited his people. Would he be one of the last Tevarin to see their homeworld?\n\nThe ship shook violently as it pushed into the upper atmosphere. On the horizon he noticed something breaking through the bed of clouds. Could it be the peak of Mount Supteek? Corath\u2019Thal staggered to the front of the bridge and laid his hand on the glass.\n\nHe last saw Mount Supteek as a child fleeing Kaleeth with his parents. Its peak was one of the only memories he still had of his home.\n\nThe glass grew hot, but Corath\u2019Thal kept his hand in place. The beauty of Kaleeth, even from above, overwhelmed every ounce of his being. The clouds parted; now he could see the cities the Human invaders had built around their temples of old. It sickened him. He was suddenly consumed with regret for not killing them all as the ship disintegrated around him.\n\nThe Second Tevarin War was finally over.\n\n[June 25, 2610 \u2014 Caliban System]\n\nClarice seemed angrier than usual today. She sometimes got that way after cannibalizing smaller storms. Hickory adjusted course to give her a wider berth. Hickory named the massive storm that lived in Caliban IV\u2019s upper atmosphere Clarice after his mother. Both were bad news for pilots who got too close, but good to Hickory, who salvaged parts and cargo from the ships the storm wrecked for resale on Crion.\n\nMost avoided Clarice and her ship-crippling lightning strikes. Still many didn\u2019t give her a wide enough birth. Some were too lazy to chart her precise location, while others intentionally traveled close by to hide their ship\u2019s signature. Hickory didn\u2019t care about their motives, only that he could salvage valuables from them to pay for his trip to the Banu Protectorate.\n\nSuddenly Dolos\u2019s scanners sang the sweet song of discovery. Hickory set out to see what today\u2019s catch would be.\n\nIt was an RSI Nova, a souped-up courier ship outfitted with serious armaments. Hickory salivated. This wasn\u2019t a civilian vessel; it was military grade and potentially filled with wartime information and supplies.\n\nBut to be fair, most civilian ships were pretty well stocked these days, too. Seven years of Tevarin hit-and-run tactics meant no Human ship was safe flying unless armed to the teeth and chock full of supplies. That wasn\u2019t always the case. Ship weapons were once considered a luxury for the rich or dangerous. Now they were everywhere. All of this made Hickory\u2019s job a little trickier and pay a little bit better. War always has unintended consequences, thought Hickory.\n\nLightning from Clarice had killed the Nova, setting it drifting slowly through space. Hickory quickly determined its speed and trajectory to calculate where it would be in a couple of hours. He flew to that point in its projected route and powered down his ship. He set an alarm to ring in two hours so he didn\u2019t lose track of time. Then he finally exited Dolos and EVAed back towards the Nova.\n\nAs he EVAed, Hickory watched Clarice violently swirl below. Her surface seemed to bubble from the electrical activity. This one vista encapsulated Hickory\u2019s understanding of the universe: achingly beautiful and unapologetically evil.\n\nHickory reached the drifting derelict and quickly cut through the hull. Inside, he found the pilot at the helm. The lightning strike that fried the Nova must have been massive. The pilot\u2019s hands were seared to the flight stick. Hickory checked the area for personal trinkets then turned to the flight instruments.\n\nIt would be a waste of time to salvage components. Everything was charred to a crisp. So Hickory systematically checked every crevice of the craft, getting more annoyed as he went. How could there not be a single piece of cargo? The more he explored the ship the less it made sense. How had he even picked up the ship\u2019s sig if all the components were scorched? Something around here had to be working.\n\nHickory\u2019s flashlight scanned the info-terminal to find its faceplate melted. If this ship had one component with a top of the line surge suppressor, this would be it. So he pulled out his multi-tool and carefully cracked it open.\n\nAs he ogled its innards, his eyes grew wide. It was an XL-250i. This best-quality, military-grade component was in much better condition than the cockpit console. There was a chance this thing might still work. If it did, the components alone could net significant creds, plus whatever data it carried. Hickory connected his custom-made hacking tool to the power supply then steadily gave it juice.\n\nThe system sprung to life. Hickory resisted the urged to do a quick, high-level assessment of the data, and began the download. Probably better to review the information elsewhere. The sooner the system was powered down, the better. Even though its sig was small, he wasn\u2019t the only one who scavenged Clarice for shipwrecks.\n\nHickory glanced at the hacking tool in his hand to see the download almost complete. That was disappointingly swift. Must not be a lot of data on here. Once the status bar hit 100%, he unplugged his hacking tool and powered down the system. Then he quickly removed the system\u2019s most vital components. He dreamed of using them to upgrade his ship, but he really needed creds. Who knows? Maybe the data he recovered would be worth more than he expected.\n\nConfident he\u2019d found all the Nova had to offer, Hickory checked the time. It was a little short of the two hours he had given himself, but Dolos should be close enough. The hole he cut in the hull was above him. He took a deep breath, activated his EVA thrusters, aimed at that spot, and propelled himself into space.\n\nHe kept his trajectory straight until clear of the ship. He got lost in thought wondering what information he had pulled from the ship and what price it could fetch. Then he realized he had drifted further than expected. He accessed his ship locater when, suddenly, space behind him glowed like a furnace.\n\nHickory killed his suit\u2019s thrusters, and rotated to see the scene. The Nova he had exited minutes before had now become a debris field, the flames from the explosion quickly dying in vacuum. His heart caught in his throat as he saw the Jackal move in to inspect the wreckage it had just created.\n\nHickory\u2019s pulse raced. He had to get to his ship and fast. Best to be gone before the Tevarin scout ship started looking for its next target.\n\n\u201cDrahk . . . you shouldn\u2019t have attacked without warning me.\u201d The exhaustion in Tajhbind\u2019s voice was obvious. Drahk could feel Tajhbind\u2019s glare through his helmet.\n\n\u201cDeepest apologies, but my scans picked up a sentient signature exiting the craft.\u201d\n\n\u201cThen why didn\u2019t you attack that?\u201d\n\nIt was a cutting question but one Drahk knew he wasn\u2019t expected to answer. Drahk and Tajhbind had been copilots for most of the war. Drahk\u2019s itchy trigger finger and other offensive deficiencies were tolerated because he was a master of the phalanx shield. Drahk\u2019s strengths happened to complement Tajhbind\u2019s weaknesses and vice versa, so they made a lethal duo. Drahk absorbed and deflected fire from all angles, which allowed Tajhbind to focus on fighting.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s ok, but I need you in line with me. Who knows if there was anything on that ship that could \u2014\u201c\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d\n\nAn unidentified ship appeared on Drahk\u2019s radar. It was close, and its sig growing stronger by the second. Drahk knew what that meant.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a Human ship!\u201d\n\nThe ship\u2019s quantum drive finished spooling as Tajhbind fired from both barrels. His shots pierced the hull as the quantum drive engaged. The ship stuttered and spun in a new direction then suddenly accelerated into the dark expanse.\n\nHow had Drahk not noticed another ship hiding nearby? His failure could jeopardize Ekoraapt\u2019s crew and mission. According to the Rijora, the only course of action was to confess immediately.\n\n\u201cI have failed in my duty to you, Tajhbind. My irresponsible and overeager attack kept me from properly executing my scanning duties. I pledge to the holy Rijora, Goth\u2019raj doah, that I will do everything to right this wrong, or suffer whatever fate is deemed appropriate by \u2014.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf Humans find out we\u2019re in system, our lives, not our honor, will be on the line. We must focus on preserving the first before repairing the second.\u201d\n\nTajhbind contacted Ekoraapt and explained the situation. They were ordered to return. Thanks to this disappointing encounter, battle plans had to be accelerated.\n\nBefore signing off, Tajhbind asked if there was news about Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s attack in Centauri. The entire crew had been on edge waiting for an update, but there was still no news. Drahk wasn\u2019t disheartened by the lack of information. The distance between Caliban on the front meant information delay was inevitable.\n\nDrahk remained supremely confident Corath\u2019Thal\u2019s plan would work. Ekoraapt\u2019s attack on Crion would divert UEE resources to Caliban and keep reinforcements from joining the main battle. Eventually, the Rijora would guide the Tevarin to victory over the Humans, and they would reclaim Kaleeth for their own.\n\nHickory was lucky to be alive and knew it. That Tevarin was a hell of a shot. The rounds hit his ship just as the quantum drive engaged, changing his trajectory. Luckily, Dolos course corrected before the G-forces became fatal. Even though he survived, his head hurt like hell.\n\nMoments later, Dolos sputtered and fell out of quantum drive. While checking the damage to his systems, he realized how far off course he was. Hickory fired the thrusters and swung back toward Crion.\n\nHickory had put some distance between himself and the Tevarin, but he feared not enough. Caliban IV still glowed faintly in the distance. That was only one of his problems. Not only was he out of quantum fuel, the drive was damaged. Those weren\u2019t the worst parts though. Hickory calculated the distance to Crion, and confirmed that even with his conventional thrusters on full burn, he would run out of oxygen well before reaching anywhere with an atmosphere.\n\nHickory considered broadcasting a distress signal, but knew who responded to those in this part of space: people like himself, with no sympathy for anyone\u2019s plight but their own. Plus, the signal might only attract the attention of the Tevarin he had fled. Most likely, no one would come until it was too late. That would be a best-case scenario.\n\nHickory stared into space. It was just his luck. The XL-250i components and whatever data was on that drive probably were more than enough to execute his plan. Now, instead of setting out for Kins, he was marooned in Caliban.\n\nHickory set the autopilot and climbed out of the pilot\u2019s seat to one of the ship\u2019s storage compartments. Inside, a threadbare flatcat stuffed animal sat atop a case of Angeli aged whiskey. Hickory delicately moved the flatcat, cracked the whiskey case and grabbed a bottle. He poured himself a healthy glass of whiskey then sat on his bunk in silent contemplation.\n\nThe whiskey burned going down, then pulsed right to his aching head. He stared at the terminal across from him. Then crossed to it and plugged in his hacking tool. What else was there to do but drink and see what information was worth all this?\n\nIt wasn\u2019t long before Hickory\u2019s head spun from something other than the drink. The data file contained one thing \u2014 a signed Tevarin Instrument of Surrender.\n\nMouth suddenly dry, Hickory downed the remaining contents of his glass. He read the message again for the millionth time. The war was over. He almost couldn\u2019t believe it.\n\nThe Second Tevarin War was over.\n\nNext he checked the Nova\u2019s communications logs to see one failed transmission to the UEES Crescent. The courier ship must have had been rushing the news of the war\u2019s end to Crescent when it got zapped. There was the chance Crescent knew none of this. That meant he was probably the first person in the whole of Caliban to know. Second if you counted the unlucky pilot.\n\nHickory suddenly had a thought. It was a precarious proposition considering his past, but, as far as he could see, there was no better option. If he played this right, maybe he could spin this information into leniency on his past transgressions?\n\nHickory grabbed the bottle and took another pull, allowing the warmth to wash over him. Then climbed into the cockpit and adjusted course once again. Moments later, he activated a distress signal.\n\nFor the first time in his life, Hickory hoped the UEE military would find him.\n\nCommander Wallace studied the bruised and scuffed starmen before her. If their injuries were any indication, it was a fair fight.\n\n\u201cThe mess turned into a real ruckus \u2019cause of these two,\u201d said XO Coburn as he glared at the battered pair with his trademark scowl. His face, hardened and scarred from years of active duty, left no doubt that he knew only one life \u2014 the military.\n\nThe two starmen hung their heads and took in the rug laid before her desk. As far as she knew, it was the only one aboard Crescent; a bit of warmth amidst the ship\u2019s metal.\n\n\u201cIt appears you two need another way to keep your hands busy. XO Coburn, assign these two starmen brooms and make sure they sweep the floor before them everywhere they go.\u201d\n\n\u201cWith pleasure.\u201d A mischievous smile stretched across Coburn\u2019s face.\n\n\u201cFor the next week, those brooms will not leave your hands unless ordered so by a superior. Understood?\u201d\n\nThe starmen replied affirmatively, saluted, then were dismissed. Once the door closed behind them, Commander Wallace turned back to her computer to see if the simulation she was running of Crescent\u2019s intended route past Caliban IV had finished. She wanted to ensure the ship gave its raging storm ample room.\n\n\u201cThat Mitchell\u2019s a real piece of work. How does a guy with known anger issues get assigned to a cruiser? He never would have made it this far if the Navy wasn\u2019t so desperate to staff their ships.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe same could be said for me,\u201d returned Commander Wallace.\n\nThe XO\u2019s anger abated in a wave of embarrassment. Wallace didn\u2019t know the grizzled soldier had it in him.\n\n\u201cAny update on that dropped transmission from earlier?\u201d\n\nXO Coburn visibly relaxed, thankful for the conversation returning to safer territory.\n\n\u201cNo, sir. The signal was lost almost immediately. Since there\u2019s been no attempted retransmission, Comms Officer Fitzpatrick believes it might have been electrical interference from the storm, but the scouts are still looking, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s all for now, Coburn. You\u2019re dismissed.\u201d\n\nCoburn turned to leave, then thought better of it. He doubled back to the desk, stopping just before his feet reached the rug.\n\n\u201cActually, Commander, there is something I believe you should be made aware of. I don\u2019t think these fights are going to stop. People are putting other allegiances above the one to this ship. That fight in the mess \u2014 no one was talking about it. In my experience, gossip is a good thing to hear in the halls. At least it means people are communicating. This place is quieter than a damn ghost ship.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rubbed her temple. She didn\u2019t need Coburn\u2019s constant updates to inform her of the crew\u2019s discontent. She could sense it while walking the halls.\n\n\u201cAny recommendations on how to resolve the situation?\u201d\n\nCoburn hesitated for a moment, before:\n\n\u201cNo, sir.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou can speak freely.\u201d\n\nCoburn thought for a moment, then looked her square in the eye.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re fighting because they lack a leader. That\u2019s supposed to be you.\u201d\n\nSilence hung in the room for a few tense moments. His communicator pinged. Coburn checked it.\n\n\u201cSir, scouts patrolling Sector 4 just responded to a distress signal. They stopped the ship and are bringing its pilot in for questioning. They say there\u2019s something odd about him.\u201d\n\n\u201cOdd how . . . ?\u201d Wallace replied, collecting herself.\n\nThe photo of a man with a gaunt face, high cheek bones and wild blue eyes appeared on a nearby wallscreen. \u201cThey ran his name. He should be dead.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace entered the interrogation room and did a double take. Hickory sat across the table, but his face bore little resemblance to the picture. The high, angular cheek bones were gone. Clearly, he had facial reconstruction surgery, maybe even multiple times. There were more differences than similarities, but something in the eyes rang true. Commander Wallace averted her eyes and took a seat.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s OK, Captain . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander Wallace.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh . . . Commander, sorry. Don\u2019t feel bad. I\u2019m used to the stares by now. What\u2019s the expression, again? \u2018A face made for a space helmet.\u2019 Only took a few surgeries from a series of disreputable doctors to get it.\u201d\n\nAn uneven smile stretched from ear to ear.\n\nCommander Wallace remained expressionless. \u201cWhat should I call you?\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, for the looks you\u2019re giving me, I\u2019d guess you already have my name.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have a name. One Andrew Lime, born 2542 on Cestulus. Died in Jata, during the commission of a crime in 2567. From the looks of you, I\u2019d say you\u2019re not quite dead yet, so I\u2019m still left wondering who exactly you are.\u201d\n\n\u201cAndrew Lime and I are one and the same, Commander. It\u2019s an interesting story, but it\u2019s not the information you need to hear right now.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow do you know what I need to hear?\u201d\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s say I came across some data that you would find vital to your ship and crew.\u201d\n\nSilence sat between them. Commander Wallace could smell whiskey on his breath. She debated ending the interview right then, but despite herself she eventually said, \u201cWhenever you\u2019re ready . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cSee it\u2019s not that easy. Like you were kind enough to point out, I\u2019m supposed to be dead. And, let\u2019s just say, the UEE won\u2019t be the only ones surprised to know I\u2019m alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf your information is solid, I\u2019ll put in a good word with the Advocacy. There are plenty of prisons in out-of-the-way systems where you\u2019ll be safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat won\u2019t work for me.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo syndicate has ties to every prison. The Advocacy can keep you alive if you\u2019re honest about who\u2019s after you.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not the syndicate I\u2019m concerned about . . .\u201d Hickory\u2019s face softened for the first time.\n\nCommander Wallace exhaled and sat back in her chair, weary of his cryptic and evasive answers. \u201cWell, then . . . what do you want?\u201d\n\n\u201cSafe passage to the Banu Protectorate.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace chuckled and rolled her eyes. She was secretly hoping he would ask for something more interesting. \u201cSo anything else besides immunity for your crimes?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not why I need to go there.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, merely a helpful byproduct.\u201d Commander Wallace stood. A worried look washed over Hickory\u2019s face. \u201cNo information is valuable enough to expunge a criminal record this extensive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis is.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace turned towards the door.\n\n\u201cThe war\u2019s over,\u201d Hickory called after her. She stopped and turned back. \u201cI recovered some kind of Instrument of Surrender from the Tevarin off a destroyed military courier ship.\u201d\n\n\u201cUh huh. And where exactly was this ship?\u201d\n\n\u201cCoordinates won\u2019t help. Some Tevarin destroyed it.\u201d\n\n\u201cTevarin? In Caliban?\u201d\n\n\u201cWho do you think tagged my ship? And if there\u2019s one Jackal out there, you can bet they\u2019ve got friends close by.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace sat back down. \u201cSo this Instrument of Surrender is where?\u201d\n\n\u201cI need assurances, Commander, before handing over something like that.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it\u2019s not here.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s on my ship, which, I might add, your scouts insisted on leaving somewhere in space instead of it being brought here.\u201d\n\n\u201cLanding an unauthorized ship aboard a carrier is forbidden during wartime.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, technically you\u2019re not at war anymore.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rubbed her temples and thought things through. Finally, she stood and headed for the door. Hickory watched her leave.\n\n\u201cDo we have a deal?\u201d The door clicked shut.\n\nDrahk rushed through the halls of the ship. He expertly wove through traffic as Tajhbind tried to keep up. Orphaned on Olympus, Drahk had grown up in the husk of the destroyed UEE capital ship. He survived by hiding and hurrying through its corridors, until one day a Tevarin vendor caught him stealing from his stall. Instead of punishing Drahk, the vendor showed mercy. Drahk could get food from his stall if he took the time to memorize the Rijora and learn the history of his great race.\n\nThe Rijora became Drahk\u2019s lifeline, and he dedicated himself to it. When the Second Tevarin War began, Drahk left Olympus to enlist in the fight to retake Kaleeth. His commitment to the cause was unquestionable, and even though he had significantly less flight time than most, Drahk\u2019s ascended through the ranks to become a pilot.\n\nExasperated, Tajhbind finally called out, \u201cWhere are you going that requires such haste?\u201d\n\nDrahk rounded a corner and went up a flight of stairs two steps at a time. Tajhbind suddenly realized where he was headed and quickly broke into a run, hoping to catch Drahk before he got there.\n\nEkoraapt\u2019s highest ranking pilots streamed into the operations room for the assignment ceremony. A Rijorian chant convened the meeting. Tajhbind grabbed Drahk\u2019s arm steps before the doorway.\n\n\u201cVolunteering for the initial attack force won\u2019t restore your honor. Recognize your limitations, Drahk. Remember, it is a strength for one to know one\u2019s weaknesses.\u201d\n\nDrahk smiled. He was rubbing off on Tajhbind. This was the first time he had ever lectured Drahk on the Rijora. A chant reverberated through the operations room, requesting volunteers for the first wave of attacks on Crion\u2019s largest hive of Humanity, the city called Boro.\n\nDrahk repeated the words to Tajhbind, \u201cGo forth with head held high, but honor the ground and respect the sky. One must keep those goals in mind if we are to survive. Were you ever taught what that chant means?\u201d\n\n\u201cA warrior must be true to oneself to stay alive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is a modern misinterpretation. It originated in the 16th epoch. A time when only the bravest left the caves of Kaleeth, and never alone. They walked, side-by-side, chanting those words to stay in formation. That chant was never about the survival of the individual. It\u2019s a reminder that we fight for the survival of our species.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t live in caves anymore, Drahk. Let alone on Kaleeth. If we don\u2019t adapt, if our ways don\u2019t change with the time, we have no hope.\u201d\n\nSuddenly, Flightmaster Suldrath\u2019s voice carried through the ship\u2019s halls. \u201cDefenders of Rijora, Human military ships have appeared nearby. Report to your positions and await further instructions.\u201d\n\nTajhbind started toward the hangar. Drahk stayed in place and eyed the operations room. He knew he could still receive an assignment if he volunteered. No one would question his desire to do what was needed.\n\n\u201cDrahk, come on, let\u2019s go.\u201d\n\nDrahk turned to Tajhbind, whose eyes beckoned him to follow. Drahk couldn\u2019t remember the last time he flew without him. The thought of entering the fray without Tajhbind by his side finally set in.\n\nThe Rijora had brought him to Ekoraapt and had him befriend Tajhbind for a reason. Now was not the time to deny that. Moments later, Drahk was hustling down the hall and past Tajhbind. As always, Drahk led the way to the flight deck.\n\nHickory noted the time. Why was this taking so long? They should have been able to tow Dolos back to Crescent by now.\n\nHickory was having difficulty figuring out how his last interaction with Wallace had panned out. She definitely seemed interested in the news about the surrender, but hadn\u2019t quite committed to his demands.\n\nOf course, it all hinged on him showing Wallace that he was telling the truth. The interrogation door opened and two Marines entered.\n\n\u201cFinally . . . so is Commander Wallace joining us at my ship?\u201d\n\nAs one Marine stood guard, the other pulled Hickory\u2019s arms behind his back and cuffed his wrists.\n\n\u201cCome on, guys. You\u2019ll just need to undo them so I can access my terminal.\u201d\n\nThe Marine behind Hickory nudged him forward. \u201cThere aren\u2019t any terminals in the brig.\u201d\n\nHickory stopped in his tracks, \u201cCommander Wallace and I have a deal.\u201d\n\nThe Marine before him shrugged. \u201cThat\u2019s right, she says you get the best cell.\u201d\n\nThe door slid back and Hickory instantly noted the change in the ship from when he was first brought aboard. Starmen rushed past in quick purposeful steps, no one bothering to even cast him a second glance. Crap. He had been in enough skirmishes to recognize that he was suddenly in one.\n\nThe barrel of a gun shoved Hickory forward. He had half a mind to make this hard on them, but thought better of it. If Wallace was really about to go head to head with the Tevarin, it probably would be smart to leave as many angry Marines between him and them as possible.\n\nCommander Wallace sat at the terminal in her quarters. She uploaded the coordinates of Crescent and then the last known location of the Tevarin ships into the simulations program. As it began to process, XO Coburn entered.\n\n\u201cI just sent you the scout\u2019s estimates on the size of the Tevarin forces, sir. If they\u2019re true, we\u2019re outmatched. We won\u2019t have enough firepower or resources to overcome their phalanx.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace entered the new data and ran the simulation. Coburn\u2019s eyes drifted to the wallscreen to watch it play. Based on the Tevarin forces\u2019 current trajectory, their destination became clear: the civilian population of Crion. A position Crescent was moving away from. Unless she acted immediately, they would have no chance to defend it.\n\nA sinking feeling hit the pit of her stomach, overwhelming her senses and clouding her mind. Her head spun from a responsibility that hadn\u2019t felt real until right now \u2014 this was all on her.\n\n\u201cSir, another update from the scouts. They\u2019ve been spotted.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it\u2019d be safe to assume their plans have accelerated.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace\u2019s hands shook as she adjusted the simulation to account for the new timeline. She drew a deep breath to calm her nerves then stopped typing. This was a time for action, not projections.\n\n\u201cWe need to get to the bridge.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace rushed out of quarters with Coburn on her heels.\n\n\u201cAny word from the scouts sent to retrieve Lime\u2019s ship?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey were last to launch, sir. My estimates won\u2019t have them arriving there for another 10 minutes. But I might suggest calling them back. We\u2019re going to need every last ship if we stand a chance of stopping the Tevarin before they reach Crion.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace chewed on the suggestion, \u201cBut if the Instrument of Surrender is valid, this could all be over before it even starts.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf he\u2019s telling the truth. That\u2019s before even considering whether the Tevarin forces would believe that the war was over. In my experience, good commanders leave as little to chance as possible.\u201d\n\nThe two rounded a corner and approached the bridge.\n\n\u201cCommander . . .\u201d Coburn slowed his pace and fell a step behind, \u201cif I may have a moment with you before we enter the bridge?\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace stopped and faced Coburn. His eyes scanned the hall to find it empty, then his stern face softened. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be no good way to handle this situation. We\u2019ll be chasing down an enemy hell bent on bringing death and destruction to innocent civilians who have no business being involved in this war. As a force, we\u2019re overmatched and already out of position. We know this, but that\u2019s our burden to carry, not the crew\u2019s. They only need two things; to do their jobs and to have faith in their commander. Understand?\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace nodded.\n\n\u201cAre you ready, sir?\u201d\n\n\u201cAlways in service of the Empire.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlways in service of the Empire, sir.\u201d\n\nCommander Wallace clenched her fists, hoping to squeeze out every ounce of nervous energy. Then she stepped away from XO Coburn and onto the bridge.\n\nThe crew snapped to attention, anxious to hear what orders awaited them. Commander Wallace reached for the comms but paused. A moment of doubt and indecision gripped her, then passed. She drew a deep breath and then hit the button.\n\n\u201cThis is Commander Wallace. All crew to battle stations. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. Prepare for battle.\u201d\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":35,"created_at":"2020-01-29T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"6 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 21:33:23","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":17438,"next_id":17442}}