{"data":{"id":17531,"title":"Instrument of Surrender (Part Three)","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/17531-Instrument-Of-Surrender-Part-Three","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/17531","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/17531","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 Three) was published originally in Jump Point 4.7. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.\nSirens screamed across the bridge.\n\n\u201cCommander, thirty seconds until Tevarin forces have us in weapon range,\u201d called XO Coburn. A mixture of stress and exhaustion strained his voice.\n\nDeep inside Caliban\u2019s asteroid belt, Crescent was caught in a kill zone of its own making. Commander Wallace\u2019s initial plan had been to trap the Tevarin fleet in this exact position, and then unleash a surprise attack to cripple the opposing capital ship, saving the innocent people of Crion from the invader\u2019s wrath.\n\nUnfortunately, the plan had backfired. A debris field now blocked Crescent\u2019s bow while a Tevarin capital ship protected by a thick phalanx shield was bearing down on its stern.\n\n\u201cStarman Odorizzi, we have no choice but to risk flying through the asteroid belt. I want course options.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir!\u201d Odorizzi responded then turned back, \u201cTo where?\u201d\n\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter. The more twists and turns the better. Just keep us out of their crosshairs.\u201d\n\n\u201cAye, sir!\u201d\n\nAs Starman Odorizzi went to work, Helmsman Ayers glanced in Coburn\u2019s direction and the two shared a look. Coburn and Ayers\u2019 combined service time was greater than Wallace\u2019s age.\n\n\u201cHelmsman Ayers, prepare for precision flying.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nWhen Helmsman Ayers\u2019 hands came to rest upon the flight stick, Commander Wallace noticed his knuckles whiten.\n\n\u201cSir, the Tevarin are within weapons range,\u201d XO Coburn reported. \u201cWe can\u2019t stay here much longer.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd we can\u2019t move until we know where we\u2019re going,\u201d Commander Wallace stayed focused on the hologlobe. \u201cOdorizzi, time\u2019s up.\u201d\n\n\u201cHere, sir.\u201d\n\nOptions appeared on the hologlobe, ordered from dangerous to suicidal. Most of the routes started between two large asteroids to their right.\n\n\u201cSir, if we get to the edge of the belt,\u201d suggested Coburn, \u201cwe could quantum jump to safety and then regroup and reassess.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf we run, the Tevs will push forward and Crion will be in ruins before we can do anything about it. Right now our job is to keep them focused on us. Is that clear?\u201d\n\nSilence hung in the air. Suddenly, Starman Daughtry called from the scan station, \u201cThe Tevs are lining up a shot!\u201d\n\n\u201cTillman, everything you can to shields,\u201d Wallace called to the scan station. \u201cHelmsman, prepare to move!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhich route, Commander?\u201d\n\nShe cycled through the options on the hologlobe. There was no time for analysis. One of the most important decisions of her life would be have to made on instinct.\n\n\u201cRear shields are under attack!\u201d\n\n\u201cAyers, here. Go now,\u201d called Commander Wallace as she hit the button to send the chosen route to the helmsman.\n\nAs the ship lurched forward, she hoped she hadn\u2019t killed them all.\n\nI am a whisper . . .\n\n. . . thought Drahk as he spiraled toward the bow of the massive UEE ship. The skate, a personal propulsion device grabbed from his now destroyed Jackal, plus the momentum gained when he was flung from the wreckage, provided enough thrust for him to quickly close in on the Human capital ship. Drahk had to be careful though. It wouldn\u2019t be good to come in too hot.\n\nIlluminated streaks sliced through space, catching his attention. Drahk glanced up to see Luroosh firing upon the Human ship\u2019s stern. The attack was underway. Hopefully that meant the Humans would be too distracted defending themselves from the external threat to notice him sneak aboard their ship.\n\nAs he drew closer, Drahk recited the Rijoran passage once again, \u201cIt takes a single whisper to break a silence.\u201d It served as a mantra of what was to come and a reminder that even though he was just one Tevarin, he still had strength enough to cripple an entire capital ship by disabling the right systems.\n\nThe distance to the ship flashed across Drahk\u2019s visor. If his aim stayed true, Drahk would pass above the bow and have the length of the ship to set down. There would be a number of hatches atop to let him sneak inside.\n\nDrahk never had the honor of crewing a Prowler, but he had heard stories about what it was like to board an enemy ship, mainly from tales of an elite Tevarin unit known as the Naulle. Only those who had mastered all 343 fighting stances could join.\n\nRumors were they could board ships without being noticed and then disappear before anyone knew they were there. Drahk dreamed of joining the Naulle, but was born far too late. Had he grown up during the height of the Tevarin Authority, he would have played khuley in a stone course on Kaleeth, learning the team tactics Tevarin boarders used so devastatingly against their enemies.\n\nInstead, Drahk grew up around Humans in Olympus, stealing their disgusting food and dodging their dirty looks. The Rijora saved him from that life, and now, as the Human capital ship loomed closer, it was bringing him back to it.\n\nA proximity alert flashed across Drahk\u2019s visor. It was time to slow down. Drahk activated the retro thrusters on his skate and decelerated.\n\nThen, suddenly, the ship moved. Its bow swung toward a tight gap between two nearby asteroids. Portside came to bear before Drahk. The long length of ship he had planned to use as a runway was now gone.\n\nDrahk braced himself. The ship\u2019s course change along with his deceleration meant he had lost ground. Quickly, he maxed out the skate\u2019s thrusters to pick up speed. Drahk would not let his destiny be denied.\n\nWhile accelerating, he banked to the left, carefully adjusting his path to the ship. If his approach angle was too great, he would overshoot the ship. Yet, if he pitched down too dramatically, a hard landing could injure him. He passed above the ship abeam to port, angled himself down towards the bow, and prayed for the best.\n\nGlancing down, the ship was but a blur beneath his feet. The rapid movement made him woozy and forced him to glance away. Instead, he focused on the edge of the bow, which rushed at him faster than expected.\n\nHe curled his long frame into a tight ball and took the brunt of the impact in a roll. The wind was knocked from him, but he managed to activate his mag-boots before he tumbled over the edge.\n\nThe quick shift in momentum ripped the skate from his hands. It spiraled away, deflecting off the ship, then disappearing into the asteroids. He had hoped to use it to escape, but it looked like that was no longer part of the plan.\n\nDrahk wasn\u2019t deterred though, and, after ensuring his vitals were normal, he could not stop the swelling of pride that filled his heart. He\u2019d done it. He had met his destiny and survived.\n\nNope, this wasn\u2019t going to work. There was no way this Marine\u2019s uniform would fit over his spacesuit. Hickory\u2019s arm only made it halfway down the sleeve before the shirt was busting at the seams.\n\nSo much for slipping through Crescent\u2019s halls in disguise. He was going to stick out like a sore thumb in his custom suit, but there was no other option. It was the only link he had to his ship floating in the drift.\n\nHickory dropped the uniform shirt next to the unconscious body of his former guard. The young Marine had taken a hard blow to the head, but he\u2019d be fine. The consequences for letting a prisoner escape would hurt a lot longer.\n\nHe slammed the cell door shut and the electromagnetic lock engaged. Hickory gave the kid one last look. Someone would come looking . . . eventually. That is, if Crescent survived this tussle with the Tevarin.\n\nHickory tried not to think about what was happening outside. No use stressing over what he couldn\u2019t control. There was enough to worry about anyways, like finding a helmet. He\u2019d never get off this ship without one.\n\nHe drew a deep breath and visualized, turn-by-turn, the route he\u2019d take to the flight deck. Time spent on Olympus taught Hickory the halls of this ship, but he still wished he had his helmet to help him chart a course. Hickory had spent years customizing the visor\u2019s information overlay to his specific needs. He missed it already and without it, he would have to do this the old fashion way \u2014 with only his eyes, ears, and instincts.\n\nIf he could get to the flight deck, there was a good chance he could find a helmet in the pilot\u2019s ready room. Once done, he could focus on the next step in his plan, the most important and probably the most difficult part \u2014 how to get off this ship and back to his own?\n\nWe\u2019ll deal with that when we get to it. He moved to exit the brig, but stopped. Hickory looked back at where the unconscious marine\u2019s rifle had fallen when he had knocked him out. He knew he could never shoot his way off this ship, but it might come in handy. Unfortunately, it would also immediately escalate any situation. Marines didn\u2019t tend to converse with armed prisoners.\n\nNo, better to play it safe, he thought and left it behind. Once certain the coast was clear, he began his journey to the flight deck.\n\nAbout halfway down the hall, he wondered if he\u2019d made the right call.\n\n\u201cNext turn in 1,500 meters. Tight left to heading 2-7-0,\u201d called Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\u201cHelmsman Ayers, tighten up your turns, you\u2019re broadcasting them.\u201d Command Wallace watched as Helmsman Ayers wiped sweat from his brow.\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nWallace gripped the rail to the hologlobe as Crescent plowed through a cluster of asteroids, further damaging the bow\u2019s shield. She checked its status then called out,\n\n\u201cTillman, push more power to the front shields.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat leaves our rear shields near fifteen percent. They won\u2019t hold up if they come under another attack.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I want this next turn to be quick and clean. We need to put as much distance between us and the Tevs as possible.\u201d\n\nCareening down this unpredictable, circuitous path presented more problems; small asteroid clusters pelted off Crescent\u2019s hull and shields. Meanwhile, behind them, the Tevs kept gaining ground, their phalanx shield swiveling to protect the ship from any asteroid chunks left behind in Crescent\u2019s wake.\n\nCoburn approached Wallace. \u201cThese clusters will wear us down if we\u2019re not careful.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know.\u201d\n\nCoburn stepped closer and dropped his tone. \u201cI think we need to pull Ayers. He\u2019s not up to this.\u201d\n\nBy now she knew this was Coburn\u2019s way of saying he didn\u2019t agree with her plan. Commander Wallace responded, \u201cAyers has served with distinction in seven major engagements.\u201d\n\nCoburn said nothing, but didn\u2019t look convinced.\n\nAt times her XO\u2019s habit of not directly telling her his thoughts could be frustrating, but now that he was, all she felt was uneasiness. Replacing a respected member of the crew in the midst of battle would win her no admirers. Still, it was a reality she had to consider, \u201cWell, let\u2019s be prepared to get Geuze in there if he isn\u2019t.\u201d\n\nCoburn nodded and resumed his station.\n\n\u201cNext turn in fifteen seconds,\u201d Odorizzi warned.\n\nCommander Wallace watched the turn approach and the ship\u2019s speed stay steady. Then, at the last moment, Helmsman Ayers spun Crescent to the left. The ship successfully slid into the passage only for its momentum to drift their starboard side dangerously close to a large asteroid.\n\nHelmsman Ayers quickly rotated the portside thrusters to provide reverse thrust. Commander Wallace gritted her teeth, worried it would be too little, too late to counteract their momentum. Starboard sensors screamed of an impending impact.\n\nThen a sudden, powerful vibration struck the ship. The large asteroid slammed against Crescent\u2019s starboard shield, almost completely depleting it. The asteroid exploded into countless chunks, clogging the passage behind them.\n\nWallace steadied herself then looked to Coburn. She leaned towards him. \u201cCall up Geuze. I\u2019ll let Ayers know.\u201d\n\nAs he stepped away, Commander Wallace stared at the hologlobe, concerned this one failed turn would get the Tevs into effective weapons range. The Tevarin ship spun around the obstruction in pursuit. Its phalanx shield swung from side to side trying to defend itself from the wide debris field.\n\n\u201cXO Coburn, wait.\u201d\n\nCoburn quickly returned to Wallace, who replayed the Tevs turn through the debris field. He leaned closer to the hologlobe.\n\n\u201cNotify our gunners. Target the asteroids.\u201d\n\nA smile crept across Coburn\u2019s face when he saw it: the Tevarin phalanx shield couldn\u2019t deflect multiple simultaneous impacts.\n\nAfter his successful landing, Drahk had quietly opened one of the exterior maintenance hatches and slipped into the ship. He wriggled through the narrow crawlspace and dropped into a small antechamber. He wasn\u2019t surprised that the Humans had failed to secure such an obvious entry point. This lack of combat preparedness would yet prove to be their downfall.\n\nHe carefully moved from doorway to doorway, adjusting course anytime his suit\u2019s scans identified a nearby Human. Yet, it wasn\u2019t the hallways that concerned him, as they had been quieter than expected. It was the doors.\n\nHis suit\u2019s scans couldn\u2019t penetrate the ship\u2019s thick metal walls, so every doorway presented a tense moment of anticipation as the mechanism hissed open. But so far, he hadn\u2019t encountered anyone, so he kept moving, aided by his childhood memories of Olympus.\n\nThe UEES Olympus had crashed into Ashana and was soon adopted by the people that would come to call it home. This ship, although a similar class as Olympus, was decidedly different. Here everything was sterile, brightly lit and clean. There were no stalls fighting for space near busy junctions. No strange food smells wafting from open doorways. No sand seeping in through the seams and drifting across the halls. Instead, he found himself with a sense of d\u00e9ja vu laced with disorientation.\n\nDrahk snapped out of it as he felt that instinctive itch that came from being in one place for too long. Checking his scans, he confirmed his path forward was clear and moved to the stairs that led to the sectors housing the ship\u2019s components.\n\nOnce there, he squatted with his side against the cold wall, then carefully leaned forward and glanced down the stairs. The coast was clear. He swung around the corner, setting a foot on the first tread when a slight vibration made him pause. Voices funneling up from the stair\u2019s lower flight signaled Humans rushing in his direction.\n\nDrahk pulled himself back around the corner and pressed himself against the wall. Moments later, several soldiers hurried by him. None bothered to glance back the way they came. Once their footsteps faded away, Drahk finally exhaled.\n\nHe held position for a few seconds to ensure that more weren\u2019t on their way and then snuck down the upper flight onto the landing. He briefly paused to see if the lower flight was clear before cautiously proceeded down the remaining stairs.\n\nBefore him lay the soft underbelly of the beast. A maze of narrow halls led to rooms pumping power and other essentials to the rest of the ship. Drahk drew his sidearm and crouched in a nearby doorway. His mind raced trying to recall what these rooms had been on Olympus. There was that supply store, and the Slapjim\u2019s distillery, and across from that was \u2014\n\nSuddenly, Drahk\u2019s visor flashed. More Humans were moving in his direction. He had to hide, and fast. He looked at the door to see it had a small window and raised from his crouch to glance through. Seeing no one, he quietly said a Rijoran verse to himself, opened the door and slipped inside.\n\nAs hoped, the room was empty. Drahk bristled happily as the door shut. Before him sat one of the ship\u2019s battery bays \u2014 the perfect place to start executing his plan.\n\nCrescent\u2019s gunners ripped into asteroids on both sides of the passageway. Chunks of shattered rock littered their wake, leaving a wide debris field that the Tevs phalanx couldn\u2019t entirely defend them from.\n\n\u201cLatest scan shows their shield strength equalizing under 40% effectiveness,\u201d called Starman Daughtry. A buzz went through the bridge as Wallace intently studied the hologlobe. Her crew was focused and communicating. It was the first time since they\u2019d fallen into their own trap that their confidence was growing.\n\nYet, Commander Wallace knew this strategy wouldn\u2019t last for long. Their own shields were dwindling fast from the constant barrage of debris. They had to deliver a crippling blow before the Tevs changed tactics, or worse, gave up pursuit and forced Crescent to chase them.\n\nThen she saw their chance. Just ahead was a tight turn through a narrow gap that led into a clearing large enough for Crescent to turn around. It was the perfect place to start attacking.\n\n\u201cAttention everyone.\u201d She paused for a second then continued, \u201cIn approximately 15,000 meters, Helmsman Ayers will execute a sharp right turn, steering the ship through a narrow gap. As we enter the clearing, Starman Villar and her weapons team will litter its exit with anti-ship mines. This should draw their phalanx shield\u2019s attention. In the meantime, I want all personnel to prep the ship for close combat.\u201d\n\nA chill settled over the crew. They all knew what close quarters combat with a Tevarin capital ship meant.\n\n\u201cWe won\u2019t win this fight by running. The only chance we have to win is to face them now, while their phalanx is weakened. I know it\u2019s not ideal. Hell, I\u2019m barely convinced it\u2019s not suicide, but it\u2019s the best chance we\u2019ve got to hit the Tevs and take out their primary defenses. Which means it\u2019s the best chance the people of Crion have to live another day.\u201d\n\nShe looked around the faces of the crew, unsure how they\u2019d take it.\n\nAyers was the first to nod to her and turn back to his station.\n\nCommander Wallace looked to Villar, who nodded back. Then she continued, \u201cAyers, coming out of the gap, will swing Crescent clockwise until we\u2019re nearly back where we started and our starboard is perpendicular with the entrance. When the Tev\u2019s ship comes out of that gap, I want us in position to broadside its stern. They can only protect one side of their ship at a time, so let\u2019s force \u2019em to choose between us or a field of mines.\u201d\n\nCoburn immediately called out, \u201cAnyone not understand their role?\u201d When his question was met with silence he continued, \u201cThen let\u2019s get \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander! We just lost power from battery bay two,\u201d Tillman yelled from the engineering station.\n\n\u201cWhat? How?\u201d XO Coburn stormed toward Tillman.\n\nCommander Wallace raced to a terminal and scanned the ship\u2019s currents stats. How could an entire battery bay suffer a major malfunction without any warning?\n\nAyers called out. \u201cI\u2019m losing speed, Commander. Lost ten, now fifteen percent of our overall thrust.\u201d\n\n\u201cDivert power from shields to the engines now! We need to get to this gap as fast as we can.\u201d\n\nStarman Daughtry threw fuel on the fire, \u201cSeeing a power spike from the Tevarin. They\u2019re preparing to attack.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander, the Tevs are gaining ground. We\u2019ll need shields to fend them off,\u201d Coburn called from the engineering station.\n\n\u201cHow much further until we reach that gap?\u201d\n\n\u201cJust over 5,000 meters, sir,\u201d responded Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ll risk it. Helmsman Ayers, we need to get through this gap clean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll make it, sir.\u201d Ayers shook his dominant hand to loosen a stress cramp.\n\n\u201cIncoming!\u201d\n\nAyers swung Crescent\u2019s bow toward the narrow gap just as the Tevarin opened fire. The shots screamed past the ship, narrowly avoiding their stern. As Crescent swung into the gap, Wallace called out, \u201cFull power to stern thrusters!\u201d\n\nThe ship surged forward, though its momentum still pulled the portside toward the gap\u2019s asteroids. Meanwhile, Ayers fired the starboard retro thrusters. Wallace hoped Ayers\u2019 actions plus the additional thrust would get the ship through clean.\n\nPortside warning sensors wailed as the ship veered closer and closer to the asteroid. Still, there was a chance this could work. The gap\u2019s exit was close. The ship\u2019s bow was through, but Commander Wallace held her breath until the entire ship entered the clearing.\n\nThen she finally exhaled and called out, \u201cDeploy the mines!\u201d\n\nAs Villar relayed the order to her crew, Helmsman Ayers swung Crescent into its clockwise turn. Wallace watched the Tevarin ship charge through the gap and enter the clearing. It quickly swung its phalanx shield towards the sea of anti-ship mines.\n\nAyers completed Crescent\u2019s turn and the ship was now positioned behind the Tevarin fleet, just where Wallace wanted.\n\n\u201cSend out the order. Ready attack!\u201d\n\nHickory was close. The flight deck wasn\u2019t far away, which meant the ready room had to be somewhere on the other side of this bulkhead door. Time to find a helmet and get off this ship.\n\nThe bulkhead slid open, revealing an empty hallway. Hickory moved towards the flight deck. As he angled towards a door on the right, out stepped a Tevarin.\n\nThe Tevarin immediately raised a weapon, but Hickory was already in motion. Driven by instinct honed over decades of shady deals with shadier characters, he pushed the barrel of the alien weapon to the ceiling with one hand while twisting the body of the weapon with the other. The rifle came free from the Tevarin\u2019s grasp and clattered across the floor.\n\nHands quickly seized Hickory by the throat, lifted then slammed him down on the deck, knocking the wind from his lungs. The two rolled around, exchanging body punches and elbows. Hickory could tell that the Tevarin was trained in fighting, but not experienced. Hickory on the other hand, had been in plenty of fights, but never formally taught. He snaked his arm around the back of the Tevarin\u2019s head and found an access panel into the Tevarin\u2019s suit. He opened it and ripped. He must have snagged the power cords because the faceplate went opaque, completely blinding the Tevarin. Hickory used the distraction to wriggle free and dive for the discarded weapon on the floor.\n\nDrahk finally managed to restore power and clear his helmet in time to see the Human raise his own rifle at him.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t . . . move . . .\u201d Hickory said between labored breaths.\n\n\u201cDo it,\u201d Drahk hissed in near perfect Human. \u201cI am not afraid.\u201d\n\nHickory hesitated, but it wasn\u2019t because the Tevarin was speaking his language. There was something familiar about the dialect. He was about to ask when \u2014\n\n\u201cFreeze!\u201d\n\nHickory and Drahk turned. A group of Marines stood at the end of the hall, weapons raised. One young Marine whose eye was almost swollen shut from a nasty shiner stepped closer, looking down the sights of the rifle Hickory decided not to take.\n\nHickory tossed the Tevarin weapon aside and put his hands up.\n\n\u201cI guess those cells of yours aren\u2019t good for holding anybody for long.\u201d It was all Hickory managed to say before the butt of a rifle cracked him in the side of the head.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026","de_DE":"Anmerkung des Autors: Instrument der Kapitulation (Teil drei) wurde urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 4.7 ver\u00f6ffentlicht. Sie k\u00f6nnen den ersten Teil hier und den zweiten Teil hier lesen.\nSirenen schrien \u00fcber die Br\u00fccke.\n\n\"Kommandant, drei\u00dfig Sekunden, bis die Tevarin-Kr\u00e4fte uns in Waffenreichweite haben\", rief XO Coburn. Eine Mischung aus Stress und Ersch\u00f6pfung beanspruchte seine Stimme.\n\nTief im Asteroideng\u00fcrtel von Caliban wurde Crescent in einer selbst geschaffenen T\u00f6tungszone gefangen. Commander Wallace hatte urspr\u00fcnglich geplant, die Tevarin-Flotte in genau dieser Position einzufangen und dann einen \u00dcberraschungsangriff zu starten, um das gegnerische Hauptschiff zu lahmlegen und so das unschuldige Volk von Crion vor dem Zorn des Eindringlings zu retten.\n\nLeider war der Plan nach hinten losgegangen. Ein Tr\u00fcmmerfeld blockierte nun den Bug der Crescent, w\u00e4hrend ein tevarines Gro\u00dfkampfschiff, das durch einen dicken Phalanx-Schild gesch\u00fctzt war, auf sein Heck st\u00fcrzte.\n\n\"Starman Odorizzi, wir haben keine andere Wahl, als zu riskieren, durch den Asteroideng\u00fcrtel zu fliegen. Ich will Kursoptionen.\"\n\n\"Ja, Sir!\" Odorizzi antwortete und drehte sich dann um: \"Wohin?\n\n\"Das spielt keine Rolle. Je mehr Drehungen und Wendungen, desto besser. Halten Sie uns einfach aus ihrem Fadenkreuz.\"\n\n\"Aye, Sir!\"\n\nAls Starman Odorizzi zur Arbeit ging, warf Helmsman Ayers einen Blick in Coburns Richtung, und die beiden teilten sich einen Blick. Die gemeinsame Dienstzeit von Coburn und Ayers war l\u00e4nger als das Alter von Wallace.\n\n\"Steuermann Ayers, bereiten Sie sich auf den Pr\u00e4zisionsflug vor.\"\n\n\"Ja, Sir.\"\n\nAls Helmsman Ayers' H\u00e4nde auf dem Flugstab zur Ruhe kamen, bemerkte Commander Wallace, dass seine Kn\u00f6chel wei\u00df waren.\n\n\"Sir, die Tevarin sind in Waffenreichweite\", berichtete XO Coburn. \"Wir k\u00f6nnen nicht mehr lange hier bleiben.\"\n\n\"Und wir k\u00f6nnen uns nicht bewegen, bevor wir nicht wissen, wohin wir gehen\", konzentrierte sich Commander Wallace auf den Hologlobus. \"Odorizzi, die Zeit ist um.\"\n\n\"Hier, Sir.\"\n\nAuf dem Hologramm erschienen Optionen, die von gef\u00e4hrlich bis selbstm\u00f6rderisch befohlen wurden. Die meisten der Routen begannen zwischen zwei gro\u00dfen Asteroiden zu ihrer Rechten.\n\n\"Sir, wenn wir den Rand des G\u00fcrtels erreichen\", schlug Coburn vor, \"k\u00f6nnten wir einen Quantensprung zur Sicherheit machen und uns dann neu gruppieren und neu bewerten\".\n\n\"Wenn wir rennen, werden die Tevs vorsto\u00dfen und Crion wird in Tr\u00fcmmern liegen, bevor wir etwas dagegen tun k\u00f6nnen. Im Moment ist es unsere Aufgabe, sie auf uns zu konzentrieren. Ist das klar?\"\n\nStille lag in der Luft. Pl\u00f6tzlich rief Starman Daughtry von der Scan-Station aus: \"Die Tevs stellen einen Schuss ein!\n\n\"Tillman, alles, was du kannst, auf die Schilde\", rief Wallace an die Scan-Station. \"Steuermann, bereiten Sie sich vor, loszufahren!\"\n\n\"Welche Route, Commander?\"\n\nSie radelte durch die Optionen auf dem Hologlobus. F\u00fcr eine Analyse war keine Zeit. Eine der wichtigsten Entscheidungen ihres Lebens musste sie aus dem Instinkt heraus treffen.\n\n\"Hintere Schilde werden angegriffen!\"\n\n\"Ayers, hier. Geh jetzt\", rief Commander Wallace, als sie den Knopf dr\u00fcckte, um die gew\u00e4hlte Route an den Steuermann zu senden.\n\nAls das Schiff vorw\u00e4rts taumelte, hoffte sie, dass sie nicht alle get\u00f6tet hatte.\n\nIch bin ein Fl\u00fcsterer . . .\n\n. dachte Drahk, als er sich zum Bug des riesigen UEE-Schiffes schraubte. Der Schlittschuh, eine pers\u00f6nliche Antriebsvorrichtung, die er von seinem nun zerst\u00f6rten Schakal ergriff, und der Schwung, den er beim Schleudern aus den Tr\u00fcmmern erhielt, gaben ihm genug Schub, um sich dem Schiff der Humankapitalgesellschaft schnell anzun\u00e4hern. Drahk musste allerdings vorsichtig sein. Es w\u00e4re nicht gut, zu hei\u00df reinzukommen.\n\nBeleuchtete Streifen, die den Raum durchschneiden und seine Aufmerksamkeit erregen. Drahk blickte auf und sah, wie Luroosh auf das Heck des menschlichen Schiffes schoss. Der Angriff war im Gange. Hoffentlich bedeutete das, dass die Menschen zu sehr von der \u00e4u\u00dferen Bedrohung abgelenkt waren, um zu bemerken, dass er sich an Bord ihres Schiffes schlich.\n\nAls er n\u00e4her kam, rezitierte Drahk noch einmal die Rijoran-Passage: \"Es bedarf eines einzigen Fl\u00fcsterns, um ein Schweigen zu brechen\". Es diente als Mantra f\u00fcr das, was noch kommen sollte, und als Erinnerung daran, dass er, obwohl er nur ein Tevarin war, immer noch genug Kraft hatte, um ein ganzes Kapitalschiff lahmzulegen, indem er die richtigen Systeme deaktivierte.\n\nDie Entfernung zum Schiff blitzte \u00fcber Drahks Visier auf. Wenn sein Ziel wahr bliebe, w\u00fcrde Drahk \u00fcber den Bug hinausgehen und die L\u00e4nge des Schiffes haben, um absetzen zu k\u00f6nnen. Oben gab es eine Reihe von Luken, durch die er sich hineinschleichen konnte.\n\nDrahk hatte nie die Ehre, einen Prowler zu bemannen, aber er hatte Geschichten dar\u00fcber geh\u00f6rt, wie es war, ein feindliches Schiff zu entern, haupts\u00e4chlich aus Erz\u00e4hlungen einer Eliteeinheit der Tevarins, die als Naulle bekannt ist. Nur diejenigen, die alle 343 Kampfstellungen gemeistert hatten, konnten sich anschlie\u00dfen.\n\nGer\u00fcchten zufolge konnten sie unbemerkt an Bord von Schiffen gehen und dann verschwinden, bevor jemand wusste, dass sie dort waren. Drahk tr\u00e4umte davon, sich der Naulle anzuschlie\u00dfen, wurde aber viel zu sp\u00e4t geboren. W\u00e4re er auf dem H\u00f6hepunkt der Tevarin-Beh\u00f6rde aufgewachsen, h\u00e4tte er in einem Steinkurs auf Kaleeth Khuley gespielt und die Teamtaktik gelernt, die die Tevarin-Greifer so verheerend gegen ihre Feinde einsetzten.\n\nStattdessen wuchs Drahk in der N\u00e4he der Menschen im Olymp auf, stahl ihr ekelhaftes Essen und wich ihren schmutzigen Blicken aus. Die Rijora rettete ihn vor diesem Leben, und nun, als das Schiff mit dem Humankapital n\u00e4her kam, brachte es ihn wieder zu ihm zur\u00fcck.\n\nEin Ann\u00e4herungsalarm blitzte \u00fcber Drahks Visier. Es war Zeit, langsamer zu werden. Drahk aktivierte die Retro-Triebwerke auf seinem Schlittschuh und bremste ab.\n\nDann bewegte sich das Schiff pl\u00f6tzlich. Sein Bug schwang auf eine enge L\u00fccke zwischen zwei nahe gelegenen Asteroiden zu. Die Backbordseite kam vor Drahk zum Tragen. Die lange Schiffsl\u00e4nge, die er als Landebahn geplant hatte, war nun weg.\n\nDrahk stemmte sich dagegen. Die Kurs\u00e4nderung des Schiffes und seine Verlangsamung bedeuteten, dass er an Boden verloren hatte. Schnell setzte er die Triebwerke des Schlittschuhs an ihre Grenzen, um schneller zu werden. Drahk lie\u00df sich sein Schicksal nicht verleugnen.\n\nW\u00e4hrend er beschleunigte, neigte er sich nach links, wobei er seinen Weg zum Schiff sorgf\u00e4ltig anpasste. Wenn sein Ann\u00e4herungswinkel zu gro\u00df war, schoss er \u00fcber das Schiff hinaus. Wenn er jedoch zu dramatisch abst\u00fcrzte, k\u00f6nnte ihn eine harte Landung verletzen. Er ging \u00fcber das Schiff querab nach Backbord, winkelte sich zum Bug hinunter und betete f\u00fcr das Beste.\n\nBeim Blick nach unten war das Schiff nur ein verschwommener Fleck unter seinen F\u00fc\u00dfen. Die rasche Bewegung machte ihn benommen und zwang ihn, den Blick abzuwenden. Stattdessen konzentrierte er sich auf die Kante des Bugs, der schneller als erwartet auf ihn zust\u00fcrzte.\n\nEr wickelte seinen langen Rahmen zu einem engen Ball und nahm die Hauptlast des Aufpralls in einer Rolle auf. Der Wind wurde von ihm weggeschleudert, aber es gelang ihm, seine Magnetschuhe zu aktivieren, bevor er \u00fcber die Kante st\u00fcrzte.\n\nDie rasche Ver\u00e4nderung der Dynamik riss ihm den Schlittschuh aus den H\u00e4nden. Er schraubte sich weg, wich vom Schiff ab und verschwand dann in den Asteroiden. Er hatte gehofft, damit zu entkommen, aber es sah so aus, als ob das nicht mehr Teil des Plans war.\n\nDrahk lie\u00df sich jedoch nicht abschrecken, und nachdem er sich vergewissert hatte, dass seine Lebenszeichen normal waren, konnte er die Schwellung des Stolzes, die sein Herz erf\u00fcllte, nicht aufhalten. Er hatte es geschafft. Er hatte sein Schicksal erf\u00fcllt und \u00fcberlebt.\n\nNein, das h\u00e4tte nicht geklappt. Es gab keine M\u00f6glichkeit, dass die Uniform dieses Marines \u00fcber seinen Raumanzug passen w\u00fcrde. Hickorys Arm schaffte es nur bis zur H\u00e4lfte des \u00c4rmels, bevor das Hemd an den N\u00e4hten platzte.\n\nSo viel zum verkleideten Durchschl\u00fcpfen durch die Crescent's Halles. Er wollte wie ein wunden Daumen in seinem Ma\u00dfanzug auffallen, aber es gab keine andere M\u00f6glichkeit. Es war die einzige Verbindung, die er zu seinem Schiff hatte, das in der Str\u00f6mung trieb.\n\nHickory lie\u00df das Uniformhemd neben dem bewusstlosen K\u00f6rper seiner ehemaligen Wache fallen. Der junge Marine hatte einen harten Schlag auf den Kopf bekommen, aber er w\u00fcrde wieder gesund werden. Die Konsequenzen, wenn man einen Gefangenen entkommen l\u00e4sst, w\u00fcrden viel l\u00e4nger wehtun.\n\nEr schlug die Zellent\u00fcr zu und das elektromagnetische Schloss wurde aktiviert. Hickory warf dem Kind einen letzten Blick zu. Irgendwann w\u00fcrde jemand kommen und nachsehen. Das hei\u00dft, wenn Crescent den Kampf mit dem Tevarin \u00fcberlebt hat.\n\nHickory versuchte, nicht an das zu denken, was drau\u00dfen passiert. Es n\u00fctzt nichts, wenn er sich \u00fcber das, was er nicht kontrollieren konnte, aufregt. Es gab ohnehin genug, um sich Sorgen zu machen, z.B. einen Helm zu finden. Ohne einen w\u00fcrde er nie das Schiff verlassen.\n\nEr atmete tief durch und visualisierte die Route, die er bis zum Flugdeck nehmen w\u00fcrde, Zug um Zug. Die auf dem Olymp verbrachte Zeit lehrte Hickory die Hallen dieses Schiffes, aber er w\u00fcnschte sich immer noch, er h\u00e4tte seinen Helm, der ihm bei der Kursbestimmung helfen w\u00fcrde. Hickory hatte Jahre damit verbracht, die Informations\u00fcberlagerung des Visiers an seine speziellen Bed\u00fcrfnisse anzupassen. Er vermisste sie bereits, und ohne sie m\u00fcsste er dies auf die altmodische Art und Weise tun - nur mit seinen Augen, Ohren und Instinkten.\n\nWenn er zum Flugdeck gelangen konnte, bestand eine gute Chance, dass er im Bereitschaftsraum des Piloten einen Helm finden w\u00fcrde. Danach konnte er sich auf den n\u00e4chsten Schritt in seinem Plan konzentrieren, den wichtigsten und wahrscheinlich schwierigsten Teil - wie kommt er von diesem Schiff runter und zur\u00fcck zu seinem eigenen?\n\nDarum k\u00fcmmern wir uns, wenn es soweit ist. Er verlie\u00df die Brigg, hielt aber an. Hickory schaute zur\u00fcck, wo das Gewehr des bewusstlosen Marine gefallen war, als er ihn bewusstlos geschlagen hatte. Er wusste, dass er sich nie von diesem Schiff wegschie\u00dfen konnte, aber es k\u00f6nnte sich als n\u00fctzlich erweisen. Leider w\u00fcrde es auch sofort jede Situation eskalieren. Marines neigten nicht dazu, sich mit bewaffneten Gefangenen zu unterhalten.\n\nNein, besser auf Nummer sicher gehen, dachte er und lie\u00df es hinter sich. Als er sicher war, dass die K\u00fcste frei war, begann er seine Reise zum Flugdeck.\n\nEtwa auf halbem Weg fragte er sich, ob er die richtige Entscheidung getroffen hatte.\n\n\"N\u00e4chste Kurve in 1.500 Metern. Dicht links in Richtung 2-7-0\", rief Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\"Steuermann Ayers, ziehen Sie die Kurven enger, Sie senden sie.\" Das Kommando Wallace sah zu, wie sich Steuermann Ayers den Schwei\u00df von der Stirn wischte.\n\n\"Ja, Sir.\"\n\nWallace griff die Schiene zum Hologlobus, als Crescent durch eine Gruppe von Asteroiden pfl\u00fcgte und dabei den Schild des Bogens weiter besch\u00e4digte. Sie \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte seinen Status und rief dann aus,\n\n\"Tillman, schieben Sie mehr Energie auf die vorderen Schilde.\"\n\n\"Damit bleiben unsere Heckschilde bei fast f\u00fcnfzehn Prozent. Sie werden nicht standhalten, falls sie erneut angegriffen werden.\"\n\n\"Deshalb m\u00f6chte ich, dass die n\u00e4chste Runde schnell und sauber verl\u00e4uft. Wir m\u00fcssen so viel Abstand zwischen uns und den Tevs wie m\u00f6glich schaffen.\"\n\nDas Abfahren dieses unvorhersehbaren, umst\u00e4ndlichen Weges bereitete mehr Probleme; kleine Asteroidenhaufen prasselten von der H\u00fclle und den Schilden von Crescent ab. W\u00e4hrenddessen gewannen die Tevs hinter ihnen weiter an Boden, wobei ihr Phalanx-Schild schwenkbar war, um das Schiff vor den Asteroidenbrocken zu sch\u00fctzen, die im Kielwasser von Crescent zur\u00fcckgelassen wurden.\n\nCoburn wandte sich an Wallace. \"Diese Haufen werden uns zerm\u00fcrben, wenn wir nicht aufpassen.\"\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df.\"\n\nCoburn trat n\u00e4her und lie\u00df seinen Tonfall fallen. \"Ich denke, wir m\u00fcssen Ayers abziehen. Er ist dem nicht gewachsen.\"\n\nInzwischen wusste sie, dass dies Coburns Art und Weise war, zu sagen, dass er mit ihrem Plan nicht einverstanden war. Commander Wallace antwortete: \"Ayers hat in sieben gro\u00dfen Eins\u00e4tzen mit Auszeichnung gedient.\n\nCoburn sagte nichts, sah aber nicht \u00fcberzeugt aus.\n\nManchmal konnte die Gewohnheit ihres XO, ihr seine Gedanken nicht direkt mitzuteilen, frustrierend sein, aber jetzt, wo er es war, empfand sie nur noch Unbehagen. Ein angesehenes Besatzungsmitglied mitten im Kampf zu ersetzen, w\u00fcrde ihr keine Bewunderer einbringen. Dennoch musste sie die Realit\u00e4t in Betracht ziehen: \"Nun, bereiten wir uns darauf vor, Geuze da hineinzubringen, wenn er es nicht ist.\n\nCoburn nickte und nahm seine Arbeit wieder auf.\n\n\"N\u00e4chste Kurve in f\u00fcnfzehn Sekunden\", warnte Odorizzi.\n\nCommander Wallace beobachtete, wie sich die Kurve n\u00e4herte und die Geschwindigkeit des Schiffes stabil blieb. Dann, im letzten Moment, drehte Steuermann Ayers die Crescent nach links. Das Schiff rutschte erfolgreich in die Passage, nur um mit seinem Schwung ihre Steuerbordseite gef\u00e4hrlich nahe an einen gro\u00dfen Asteroiden heranzutreiben.\n\nSteuermann Ayers drehte schnell die Backbord-Schubd\u00fcsen, um einen R\u00fcckw\u00e4rtsschub zu erzeugen. Commander Wallace knirschte mit den Z\u00e4hnen, weil sie bef\u00fcrchtete, es w\u00e4re zu wenig und zu sp\u00e4t, um dem Schwung entgegenzuwirken. Die Steuerbord-Sensoren schrien nach einem bevorstehenden Aufprall.\n\nDann traf eine pl\u00f6tzliche, starke Vibration das Schiff. Der gro\u00dfe Asteroid schlug gegen den Steuerbordschild von Crescent, wodurch dieser fast vollst\u00e4ndig ersch\u00f6pft wurde. Der Asteroid explodierte in unz\u00e4hlige St\u00fccke und verstopfte die Passage hinter ihnen.\n\nWallace beruhigte sich und schaute dann zu Coburn. Sie lehnte sich zu ihm hin. \"Rufen Sie Geuze an. Ich gebe Ayers Bescheid.\"\n\nAls er wegtrat, starrte Commander Wallace auf den Hologlobus, besorgt dar\u00fcber, dass diese eine fehlgeschlagene Runde die Tevs in effektive Waffenreichweite bringen w\u00fcrde. Das Tevarin-Schiff drehte sich bei der Verfolgung um das Hindernis. Sein Phalanx-Schild schwang von einer Seite zur anderen und versuchte, sich vor dem weiten Tr\u00fcmmerfeld zu verteidigen.\n\n\"XO Coburn, warten Sie.\"\n\nCoburn kehrte schnell zu Wallace zur\u00fcck, der die Drehung des Tevs durch das Tr\u00fcmmerfeld nachspielte. Er lehnte sich n\u00e4her an den Hologlobus.\n\n\"Benachrichtigen Sie unsere Kanoniere. Zielt auf die Asteroiden.\"\n\nEin L\u00e4cheln kroch \u00fcber Coburns Gesicht, als er es sah: Der Tevarin-Phalanx-Schild konnte mehrere gleichzeitige Einschl\u00e4ge nicht abwehren.\n\nNach seiner erfolgreichen Landung hatte Drahk leise eine der \u00e4u\u00dferen Wartungsluken ge\u00f6ffnet und war in das Schiff geschl\u00fcpft. Er schl\u00e4ngelte sich durch den engen Kriechgang und fiel in eine kleine Vorkammer. Es \u00fcberraschte ihn nicht, dass die Menschen es vers\u00e4umt hatten, einen so offensichtlichen Einstiegspunkt zu sichern. Dieser Mangel an Kampfbereitschaft w\u00fcrde sich noch als ihr Untergang erweisen.\n\nEr bewegte sich vorsichtig von T\u00fcr zu T\u00fcr und \u00e4nderte den Kurs immer dann, wenn die Scans seines Anzugs einen Menschen in der N\u00e4he identifizierten. Doch es waren nicht die G\u00e4nge, die ihn beunruhigten, da sie ruhiger als erwartet waren. Es waren die T\u00fcren.\n\nDie Scans seines Anzugs konnten die dicken Metallw\u00e4nde des Schiffs nicht durchdringen, so dass jede T\u00fcr\u00f6ffnung einen gespannten Moment der Vorfreude bot, als der Mechanismus aufflackerte. Aber bisher hatte er noch niemanden getroffen, also blieb er in Bewegung, unterst\u00fctzt durch seine Kindheitserinnerungen an den Olymp.\n\nDer Olymp der UEES war in Ashana abgest\u00fcrzt und wurde bald von den Menschen, die ihn zu Hause nennen w\u00fcrden, angenommen. Dieses Schiff, obwohl eine \u00e4hnliche Klasse wie die Olympus, war entschieden anders. Hier war alles steril, hell erleuchtet und sauber. Es gab keine St\u00e4nde, die in der N\u00e4he von belebten Kreuzungen um Platz k\u00e4mpften. Keine seltsamen Essensger\u00fcche, die aus offenen T\u00fcren wehten. Kein Sand, der durch die N\u00e4hte eindrang und durch die Hallen driftete. Stattdessen hatte er ein D\u00e9j\u00e0-vu-Gef\u00fchl, das von Orientierungslosigkeit durchzogen war.\n\nDrahk schnappte \u00fcber, als er den instinktiven Juckreiz sp\u00fcrte, der durch zu langes Verweilen an einem Ort entstand. Als er seine Scans \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte, best\u00e4tigte er, dass sein Weg vorw\u00e4rts klar war und begab sich zu den Treppen, die zu den Sektoren f\u00fchrten, in denen sich die Komponenten des Schiffes befanden.\n\nDort angekommen, hockte er sich mit der Seite gegen die kalte Wand, lehnte sich dann vorsichtig nach vorne und blickte die Treppe hinunter. Die Luft war klar. Er schwang sich um die Ecke und setzte einen Fu\u00df auf die erste Stufe, als eine leichte Vibration ihn innehalten lie\u00df. Stimmen, die vom unteren Treppenabsatz auftraten, signalisierten dem Menschen, dass er in seine Richtung rannte.\n\nDrahk zog sich um die Ecke zur\u00fcck und dr\u00fcckte sich an die Wand. Augenblicke sp\u00e4ter eilten mehrere Soldaten an ihm vorbei. Keiner machte sich die M\u00fche, den Weg zur\u00fcckzuschauen, den sie gekommen waren. Als ihre Schritte verschwunden waren, atmete Drahk schlie\u00dflich aus.\n\nEr hielt einige Sekunden lang die Position, um sicherzustellen, dass nicht noch mehr auf dem Weg waren, und schlich sich dann in der oberen Etage auf die Landung. Er hielt kurz inne, um zu sehen, ob die untere Etage frei war, bevor er vorsichtig die restlichen Stufen hinunterging.\n\nVor ihm lag der weiche Unterbauch des Tieres. Ein Labyrinth von engen S\u00e4len f\u00fchrte zu R\u00e4umen, in denen Energie und andere wichtige Dinge zum Rest des Schiffes gepumpt wurden. Drahk zog seine Waffe und hockte sich in eine nahe gelegene T\u00fcr\u00f6ffnung. Sein Verstand raste und versuchte sich zu erinnern, was diese R\u00e4ume auf dem Olymp gewesen waren. Da war das Versorgungslager und die Destillerie der Slapjim, und gegen\u00fcber davon war...\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich blitzte Drahks Visier auf. Weitere Menschen bewegten sich in seine Richtung. Er musste sich verstecken, und zwar schnell. Er schaute auf die T\u00fcr, um zu sehen, dass sie ein kleines Fenster hatte und sich aus der Hocke erhob, um durch sie hindurchzusehen. Da er niemanden sah, sagte er leise einen Rijoran-Vers zu sich selbst, \u00f6ffnete die T\u00fcr und schlich hinein.\n\nWie gehofft, war der Raum leer. Drahk bebte fr\u00f6hlich, als sich die T\u00fcr schloss. Vor ihm sa\u00df einer der Batterief\u00e4cher des Schiffes - der perfekte Ort, um mit der Ausf\u00fchrung seines Plans zu beginnen.\n\nDie Crescent-Sch\u00fctzen rissen auf beiden Seiten des Durchgangs in Asteroiden ein. Brocken von zerbrochenem Gestein verstreuten ihr Kielwasser und hinterlie\u00dfen ein weites Tr\u00fcmmerfeld, vor dem die Tevs-Phalanx sie nicht vollst\u00e4ndig verteidigen konnte.\n\n\"Der letzte Scan zeigt, dass ihre Schildst\u00e4rke unter 40% Effektivit\u00e4t ausgleicht\", genannt Starman Daughtry. Ein Schwirren ging durch die Br\u00fccke, als Wallace den Hologlobus aufmerksam studierte. Ihre Crew war konzentriert und kommunizierte. Es war das erste Mal, seit sie in ihre eigene Falle getappt waren, dass ihr Vertrauen wuchs.\n\nDoch Commander Wallace wusste, dass diese Strategie nicht lange anhalten w\u00fcrde. Ihre eigenen Schilde schwanden schnell durch den st\u00e4ndigen Tr\u00fcmmerhaufen. Sie mussten einen l\u00e4hmenden Schlag ausf\u00fchren, bevor die Tevs ihre Taktik \u00e4nderten oder, schlimmer noch, die Verfolgung aufgaben und Crescent zwangen, sie zu jagen.\n\nDann sah sie ihre Chance. Vor uns lag eine enge Kurve durch eine schmale L\u00fccke, die in eine Lichtung f\u00fchrte, die gro\u00df genug war, um Crescent umzudrehen. Es war der perfekte Ort, um mit dem Angriff zu beginnen.\n\n\"Achtung, an alle.\" Sie hielt eine Sekunde inne und fuhr dann fort: \"In etwa 15.000 Metern wird Steuermann Ayers eine scharfe Rechtskurve ausf\u00fchren und das Schiff durch eine schmale L\u00fccke steuern. Wenn wir die Lichtung betreten, werden Starman Villar und ihr Waffenteam den Ausgang mit Anti-Schiff-Minen \u00fcbers\u00e4t. Dies sollte die Aufmerksamkeit ihres Phalanx-Schildes auf sich ziehen. In der Zwischenzeit m\u00f6chte ich, dass das gesamte Personal das Schiff f\u00fcr den Nahkampf vorbereitet.\"\n\nDie Besatzung wurde k\u00fchler. Sie alle wussten, was Nahkampf mit einem tevarinschen Gro\u00dfkampfschiff bedeutet.\n\n\"Wir werden diesen Kampf nicht durch Laufen gewinnen. Die einzige Chance, die wir haben, ist, uns ihnen jetzt zu stellen, w\u00e4hrend ihre Phalanx geschw\u00e4cht ist. Ich wei\u00df, dass das nicht ideal ist. Ich bin kaum davon \u00fcberzeugt, dass es kein Selbstmord ist, aber es ist die beste Chance, die Tevs zu treffen und ihre Prim\u00e4rverteidigung auszuschalten. Was bedeutet, dass es die beste Chance f\u00fcr die Menschen in Crion ist, noch einen Tag zu leben.\"\n\nSie sah sich in den Gesichtern der Besatzung um, unsicher, wie sie es aufnehmen w\u00fcrden.\n\nAyers war der erste, der ihr zunickte und sich zu seiner Station zur\u00fcckzog.\n\nKommandant Wallace schaute zu Villar, der zur\u00fccknickte. Dann fuhr sie fort: \"Ayers, der aus der L\u00fccke herauskommt, wird die Sichel im Uhrzeigersinn schwenken, bis wir fast wieder dort sind, wo wir angefangen haben, und unser Steuerbord senkrecht zum Eingang steht. Wenn das Schiff des Tev aus dieser L\u00fccke kommt, m\u00f6chte ich, dass wir in Position sind, um das Heck des Tevs auf Breitseite zu bringen. Sie k\u00f6nnen jeweils nur eine Seite ihres Schiffes sch\u00fctzen, also zwingen wir sie, zwischen uns und einem Minenfeld zu w\u00e4hlen.\n\nCoburn rief sofort aus: \"Versteht jemand seine Rolle nicht?\" Als seine Frage mit Schweigen beantwortet wurde, fuhr er fort: \"Dann lass uns -\"\n\n\"Kommandant! Wir haben gerade den Strom aus Akkuschacht zwei verloren\", schrie Tillman von der Technikstation.\n\n\"Was? Wie?\" XO Coburn st\u00fcrmte auf Tillman zu.\n\nCommander Wallace raste zu einem Terminal und scannte die aktuellen Schiffsstatistiken. Wie konnte ein ganzer Akkuschacht ohne Vorwarnung eine gr\u00f6\u00dfere Fehlfunktion erleiden?\n\nrief Ayers aus. \"Ich verliere an Geschwindigkeit, Commander. Zehn verloren, jetzt f\u00fcnfzehn Prozent unserer gesamten Schubkraft.\"\n\n\"Leiten Sie jetzt Energie von den Schilden zu den Triebwerken um! Wir m\u00fcssen so schnell wie m\u00f6glich zu dieser L\u00fccke gelangen.\"\n\nStarman Daughtry warf Treibstoff ins Feuer: \"Ich sah einen Kraftspitz vom Tevarin. Sie bereiten sich auf einen Angriff vor.\"\n\n\"Commander, die Tevs sind auf dem Vormarsch. Wir brauchen Schilde, um sie abzuwehren\", rief Coburn von der technischen Station aus.\n\n\"Wie weit noch, bis wir diese L\u00fccke erreichen?\"\n\n\"Etwas mehr als 5.000 Meter, Sir\", antwortete Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\"Wir werden es riskieren. Steuermann Ayers, wir m\u00fcssen sauber durch diese L\u00fccke kommen.\"\n\n\"Ich werde es schaffen, Sir.\" Ayers sch\u00fcttelte seine dominante Hand, um einen Spannungskrampf zu l\u00f6sen.\n\n\"Eingehend!\"\n\nAyers schwang den Bogen des Halbmondes in Richtung der schmalen L\u00fccke, als der Tevarin das Feuer er\u00f6ffnete. Die Sch\u00fcsse schrien an dem Schiff vorbei und wichen nur knapp ihrem Heck aus. Als Crescent in die L\u00fccke schwang, rief Wallace: \"Volle Kraft auf die Heckstrahler!\n\nDas Schiff schoss vorw\u00e4rts, obwohl sein Schwung noch immer die Backbordseite in Richtung der Asteroiden der L\u00fccke zog. W\u00e4hrenddessen z\u00fcndete Ayers die Steuerbord-Retro-Triebwerke. Wallace hoffte, dass die Aktionen von Ayers und der zus\u00e4tzliche Schub das Schiff sauber durchbringen w\u00fcrden.\n\nBackbordseitige Warnsensoren heulten, als das Schiff immer n\u00e4her an den Asteroiden heranrollte. Dennoch gab es eine Chance, dass dies funktionieren k\u00f6nnte. Der Ausgang der L\u00fccke war nahe. Der Bug des Schiffes war durch, aber Commander Wallace hielt den Atem an, bis das gesamte Schiff die L\u00fccke erreichte.\n\nDann atmete sie endlich aus und rief: \"Setzt die Minen ein!\"\n\nAls Villar den Befehl an ihre Besatzung weitergab, schwenkte Steuermann Ayers die Crescent in ihre Drehung im Uhrzeigersinn. Wallace beobachtete, wie das Tevarin-Schiff durch die L\u00fccke st\u00fcrmte und die Lichtung betrat. Er schwenkte schnell seinen Phalanx-Schild in Richtung des Meeres der Anti-Schiff-Minen.\n\nAyers schloss die Runde der Crescent ab, und das Schiff befand sich nun hinter der Tevarin-Flotte, genau dort, wo Wallace wollte.\n\n\"Senden Sie die Bestellung aus. Bereit zum Angriff!\"\n\nHickory war nah dran. Das Flugdeck war nicht weit entfernt, was bedeutete, dass der Bereitschaftsraum irgendwo auf der anderen Seite dieser Schottt\u00fcr sein musste. Zeit, einen Helm zu finden und das Schiff zu verlassen.\n\nDas Schott rutschte auf und gab einen leeren Flur frei. Hickory bewegte sich zum Flugdeck. Als er sich zu einer T\u00fcr auf der rechten Seite winkelte, trat ein Tevarin heraus.\n\nDer Tevarin zog sofort eine Waffe, aber Hickory war bereits in Bewegung. Angetrieben von seinem Instinkt, der in Jahrzehnten schattiger Gesch\u00e4fte mit schattigeren Figuren gesch\u00e4rft wurde, schob er den Lauf der fremden Waffe mit einer Hand an die Decke, w\u00e4hrend er mit der anderen den K\u00f6rper der Waffe verdrehte. Das Gewehr befreite sich aus dem Griff des Tevarins und klapperte \u00fcber den Boden.\n\nDie H\u00e4nde packten Hickory schnell an der Kehle, hoben ihn hoch und schlugen ihn dann an Deck nieder, wobei ihm der Wind aus den Lungen herauskam. Die beiden w\u00e4lzten sich herum und tauschten dabei K\u00f6rpertreffer und Ellbogen aus. Hickory konnte feststellen, dass der Tevarin im Kampf trainiert, aber nicht erfahren war. Hickory hingegen hatte schon viele K\u00e4mpfe bestritten, aber nie f\u00f6rmlich unterrichtet. Er schlang seinen Arm um den Hinterkopf des Tevarins und fand eine Zugangsklappe zum Anzug des Tevarins. Er \u00f6ffnete es und riss es auf. Er muss sich an den Stromkabeln verhakt haben, denn die Frontplatte wurde undurchsichtig und blendete den Tevarin v\u00f6llig. Hickory nutzte die Ablenkung, um sich frei zu winden und nach der weggeworfenen Waffe auf dem Boden zu suchen.\n\nDrahk schaffte es schlie\u00dflich, die Macht wiederherzustellen und seinen Helm rechtzeitig frei zu machen, um zu sehen, wie der Mensch sein eigenes Gewehr auf ihn erhob.\n\n\"Nicht . . . . . bewegen . . .\" sagte Hickory zwischen m\u00fchsamen Atemz\u00fcgen.\n\n\"Tu es\", zischte Drahk in fast perfekter Menschlichkeit. \"Ich habe keine Angst.\"\n\nHickory z\u00f6gerte, aber nicht, weil der Tevarin seine Sprache sprach. Der Dialekt kam ihm irgendwie bekannt vor. Er wollte gerade fragen, wann -\n\n\"Keine Bewegung!\"\n\nHickory und Drahk wendeten sich um. Eine Gruppe von Marines stand am Ende der Halle, die Waffen erhoben. Ein junger Marine, dessen Auge durch ein b\u00f6ses Veilchen fast geschwollen war, trat n\u00e4her und schaute auf das Gewehr, das Hickory nicht mitnehmen wollte.\n\nHickory warf die Tevarin-Waffe zur Seite und nahm die H\u00e4nde hoch.\n\n\"Ich sch\u00e4tze, Ihre Zellen sind nicht gut, um jemanden lange festzuhalten.\" Es war alles, was Hickory zu sagen vermochte, bevor ihm der Gewehrkolben in die Seite des Kopfes schlug.\n\nWIRD FORTGESETZT...","zh_CN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Instrument of Surrender (Part Three) was published originally in Jump Point 4.7. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.\nSirens screamed across the bridge.\n\n\u201cCommander, thirty seconds until Tevarin forces have us in weapon range,\u201d called XO Coburn. A mixture of stress and exhaustion strained his voice.\n\nDeep inside Caliban\u2019s asteroid belt, Crescent was caught in a kill zone of its own making. Commander Wallace\u2019s initial plan had been to trap the Tevarin fleet in this exact position, and then unleash a surprise attack to cripple the opposing capital ship, saving the innocent people of Crion from the invader\u2019s wrath.\n\nUnfortunately, the plan had backfired. A debris field now blocked Crescent\u2019s bow while a Tevarin capital ship protected by a thick phalanx shield was bearing down on its stern.\n\n\u201cStarman Odorizzi, we have no choice but to risk flying through the asteroid belt. I want course options.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir!\u201d Odorizzi responded then turned back, \u201cTo where?\u201d\n\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter. The more twists and turns the better. Just keep us out of their crosshairs.\u201d\n\n\u201cAye, sir!\u201d\n\nAs Starman Odorizzi went to work, Helmsman Ayers glanced in Coburn\u2019s direction and the two shared a look. Coburn and Ayers\u2019 combined service time was greater than Wallace\u2019s age.\n\n\u201cHelmsman Ayers, prepare for precision flying.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nWhen Helmsman Ayers\u2019 hands came to rest upon the flight stick, Commander Wallace noticed his knuckles whiten.\n\n\u201cSir, the Tevarin are within weapons range,\u201d XO Coburn reported. \u201cWe can\u2019t stay here much longer.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd we can\u2019t move until we know where we\u2019re going,\u201d Commander Wallace stayed focused on the hologlobe. \u201cOdorizzi, time\u2019s up.\u201d\n\n\u201cHere, sir.\u201d\n\nOptions appeared on the hologlobe, ordered from dangerous to suicidal. Most of the routes started between two large asteroids to their right.\n\n\u201cSir, if we get to the edge of the belt,\u201d suggested Coburn, \u201cwe could quantum jump to safety and then regroup and reassess.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf we run, the Tevs will push forward and Crion will be in ruins before we can do anything about it. Right now our job is to keep them focused on us. Is that clear?\u201d\n\nSilence hung in the air. Suddenly, Starman Daughtry called from the scan station, \u201cThe Tevs are lining up a shot!\u201d\n\n\u201cTillman, everything you can to shields,\u201d Wallace called to the scan station. \u201cHelmsman, prepare to move!\u201d\n\n\u201cWhich route, Commander?\u201d\n\nShe cycled through the options on the hologlobe. There was no time for analysis. One of the most important decisions of her life would be have to made on instinct.\n\n\u201cRear shields are under attack!\u201d\n\n\u201cAyers, here. Go now,\u201d called Commander Wallace as she hit the button to send the chosen route to the helmsman.\n\nAs the ship lurched forward, she hoped she hadn\u2019t killed them all.\n\nI am a whisper . . .\n\n. . . thought Drahk as he spiraled toward the bow of the massive UEE ship. The skate, a personal propulsion device grabbed from his now destroyed Jackal, plus the momentum gained when he was flung from the wreckage, provided enough thrust for him to quickly close in on the Human capital ship. Drahk had to be careful though. It wouldn\u2019t be good to come in too hot.\n\nIlluminated streaks sliced through space, catching his attention. Drahk glanced up to see Luroosh firing upon the Human ship\u2019s stern. The attack was underway. Hopefully that meant the Humans would be too distracted defending themselves from the external threat to notice him sneak aboard their ship.\n\nAs he drew closer, Drahk recited the Rijoran passage once again, \u201cIt takes a single whisper to break a silence.\u201d It served as a mantra of what was to come and a reminder that even though he was just one Tevarin, he still had strength enough to cripple an entire capital ship by disabling the right systems.\n\nThe distance to the ship flashed across Drahk\u2019s visor. If his aim stayed true, Drahk would pass above the bow and have the length of the ship to set down. There would be a number of hatches atop to let him sneak inside.\n\nDrahk never had the honor of crewing a Prowler, but he had heard stories about what it was like to board an enemy ship, mainly from tales of an elite Tevarin unit known as the Naulle. Only those who had mastered all 343 fighting stances could join.\n\nRumors were they could board ships without being noticed and then disappear before anyone knew they were there. Drahk dreamed of joining the Naulle, but was born far too late. Had he grown up during the height of the Tevarin Authority, he would have played khuley in a stone course on Kaleeth, learning the team tactics Tevarin boarders used so devastatingly against their enemies.\n\nInstead, Drahk grew up around Humans in Olympus, stealing their disgusting food and dodging their dirty looks. The Rijora saved him from that life, and now, as the Human capital ship loomed closer, it was bringing him back to it.\n\nA proximity alert flashed across Drahk\u2019s visor. It was time to slow down. Drahk activated the retro thrusters on his skate and decelerated.\n\nThen, suddenly, the ship moved. Its bow swung toward a tight gap between two nearby asteroids. Portside came to bear before Drahk. The long length of ship he had planned to use as a runway was now gone.\n\nDrahk braced himself. The ship\u2019s course change along with his deceleration meant he had lost ground. Quickly, he maxed out the skate\u2019s thrusters to pick up speed. Drahk would not let his destiny be denied.\n\nWhile accelerating, he banked to the left, carefully adjusting his path to the ship. If his approach angle was too great, he would overshoot the ship. Yet, if he pitched down too dramatically, a hard landing could injure him. He passed above the ship abeam to port, angled himself down towards the bow, and prayed for the best.\n\nGlancing down, the ship was but a blur beneath his feet. The rapid movement made him woozy and forced him to glance away. Instead, he focused on the edge of the bow, which rushed at him faster than expected.\n\nHe curled his long frame into a tight ball and took the brunt of the impact in a roll. The wind was knocked from him, but he managed to activate his mag-boots before he tumbled over the edge.\n\nThe quick shift in momentum ripped the skate from his hands. It spiraled away, deflecting off the ship, then disappearing into the asteroids. He had hoped to use it to escape, but it looked like that was no longer part of the plan.\n\nDrahk wasn\u2019t deterred though, and, after ensuring his vitals were normal, he could not stop the swelling of pride that filled his heart. He\u2019d done it. He had met his destiny and survived.\n\nNope, this wasn\u2019t going to work. There was no way this Marine\u2019s uniform would fit over his spacesuit. Hickory\u2019s arm only made it halfway down the sleeve before the shirt was busting at the seams.\n\nSo much for slipping through Crescent\u2019s halls in disguise. He was going to stick out like a sore thumb in his custom suit, but there was no other option. It was the only link he had to his ship floating in the drift.\n\nHickory dropped the uniform shirt next to the unconscious body of his former guard. The young Marine had taken a hard blow to the head, but he\u2019d be fine. The consequences for letting a prisoner escape would hurt a lot longer.\n\nHe slammed the cell door shut and the electromagnetic lock engaged. Hickory gave the kid one last look. Someone would come looking . . . eventually. That is, if Crescent survived this tussle with the Tevarin.\n\nHickory tried not to think about what was happening outside. No use stressing over what he couldn\u2019t control. There was enough to worry about anyways, like finding a helmet. He\u2019d never get off this ship without one.\n\nHe drew a deep breath and visualized, turn-by-turn, the route he\u2019d take to the flight deck. Time spent on Olympus taught Hickory the halls of this ship, but he still wished he had his helmet to help him chart a course. Hickory had spent years customizing the visor\u2019s information overlay to his specific needs. He missed it already and without it, he would have to do this the old fashion way \u2014 with only his eyes, ears, and instincts.\n\nIf he could get to the flight deck, there was a good chance he could find a helmet in the pilot\u2019s ready room. Once done, he could focus on the next step in his plan, the most important and probably the most difficult part \u2014 how to get off this ship and back to his own?\n\nWe\u2019ll deal with that when we get to it. He moved to exit the brig, but stopped. Hickory looked back at where the unconscious marine\u2019s rifle had fallen when he had knocked him out. He knew he could never shoot his way off this ship, but it might come in handy. Unfortunately, it would also immediately escalate any situation. Marines didn\u2019t tend to converse with armed prisoners.\n\nNo, better to play it safe, he thought and left it behind. Once certain the coast was clear, he began his journey to the flight deck.\n\nAbout halfway down the hall, he wondered if he\u2019d made the right call.\n\n\u201cNext turn in 1,500 meters. Tight left to heading 2-7-0,\u201d called Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\u201cHelmsman Ayers, tighten up your turns, you\u2019re broadcasting them.\u201d Command Wallace watched as Helmsman Ayers wiped sweat from his brow.\n\n\u201cYes, sir.\u201d\n\nWallace gripped the rail to the hologlobe as Crescent plowed through a cluster of asteroids, further damaging the bow\u2019s shield. She checked its status then called out,\n\n\u201cTillman, push more power to the front shields.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat leaves our rear shields near fifteen percent. They won\u2019t hold up if they come under another attack.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I want this next turn to be quick and clean. We need to put as much distance between us and the Tevs as possible.\u201d\n\nCareening down this unpredictable, circuitous path presented more problems; small asteroid clusters pelted off Crescent\u2019s hull and shields. Meanwhile, behind them, the Tevs kept gaining ground, their phalanx shield swiveling to protect the ship from any asteroid chunks left behind in Crescent\u2019s wake.\n\nCoburn approached Wallace. \u201cThese clusters will wear us down if we\u2019re not careful.\u201d\n\n\u201cI know.\u201d\n\nCoburn stepped closer and dropped his tone. \u201cI think we need to pull Ayers. He\u2019s not up to this.\u201d\n\nBy now she knew this was Coburn\u2019s way of saying he didn\u2019t agree with her plan. Commander Wallace responded, \u201cAyers has served with distinction in seven major engagements.\u201d\n\nCoburn said nothing, but didn\u2019t look convinced.\n\nAt times her XO\u2019s habit of not directly telling her his thoughts could be frustrating, but now that he was, all she felt was uneasiness. Replacing a respected member of the crew in the midst of battle would win her no admirers. Still, it was a reality she had to consider, \u201cWell, let\u2019s be prepared to get Geuze in there if he isn\u2019t.\u201d\n\nCoburn nodded and resumed his station.\n\n\u201cNext turn in fifteen seconds,\u201d Odorizzi warned.\n\nCommander Wallace watched the turn approach and the ship\u2019s speed stay steady. Then, at the last moment, Helmsman Ayers spun Crescent to the left. The ship successfully slid into the passage only for its momentum to drift their starboard side dangerously close to a large asteroid.\n\nHelmsman Ayers quickly rotated the portside thrusters to provide reverse thrust. Commander Wallace gritted her teeth, worried it would be too little, too late to counteract their momentum. Starboard sensors screamed of an impending impact.\n\nThen a sudden, powerful vibration struck the ship. The large asteroid slammed against Crescent\u2019s starboard shield, almost completely depleting it. The asteroid exploded into countless chunks, clogging the passage behind them.\n\nWallace steadied herself then looked to Coburn. She leaned towards him. \u201cCall up Geuze. I\u2019ll let Ayers know.\u201d\n\nAs he stepped away, Commander Wallace stared at the hologlobe, concerned this one failed turn would get the Tevs into effective weapons range. The Tevarin ship spun around the obstruction in pursuit. Its phalanx shield swung from side to side trying to defend itself from the wide debris field.\n\n\u201cXO Coburn, wait.\u201d\n\nCoburn quickly returned to Wallace, who replayed the Tevs turn through the debris field. He leaned closer to the hologlobe.\n\n\u201cNotify our gunners. Target the asteroids.\u201d\n\nA smile crept across Coburn\u2019s face when he saw it: the Tevarin phalanx shield couldn\u2019t deflect multiple simultaneous impacts.\n\nAfter his successful landing, Drahk had quietly opened one of the exterior maintenance hatches and slipped into the ship. He wriggled through the narrow crawlspace and dropped into a small antechamber. He wasn\u2019t surprised that the Humans had failed to secure such an obvious entry point. This lack of combat preparedness would yet prove to be their downfall.\n\nHe carefully moved from doorway to doorway, adjusting course anytime his suit\u2019s scans identified a nearby Human. Yet, it wasn\u2019t the hallways that concerned him, as they had been quieter than expected. It was the doors.\n\nHis suit\u2019s scans couldn\u2019t penetrate the ship\u2019s thick metal walls, so every doorway presented a tense moment of anticipation as the mechanism hissed open. But so far, he hadn\u2019t encountered anyone, so he kept moving, aided by his childhood memories of Olympus.\n\nThe UEES Olympus had crashed into Ashana and was soon adopted by the people that would come to call it home. This ship, although a similar class as Olympus, was decidedly different. Here everything was sterile, brightly lit and clean. There were no stalls fighting for space near busy junctions. No strange food smells wafting from open doorways. No sand seeping in through the seams and drifting across the halls. Instead, he found himself with a sense of d\u00e9ja vu laced with disorientation.\n\nDrahk snapped out of it as he felt that instinctive itch that came from being in one place for too long. Checking his scans, he confirmed his path forward was clear and moved to the stairs that led to the sectors housing the ship\u2019s components.\n\nOnce there, he squatted with his side against the cold wall, then carefully leaned forward and glanced down the stairs. The coast was clear. He swung around the corner, setting a foot on the first tread when a slight vibration made him pause. Voices funneling up from the stair\u2019s lower flight signaled Humans rushing in his direction.\n\nDrahk pulled himself back around the corner and pressed himself against the wall. Moments later, several soldiers hurried by him. None bothered to glance back the way they came. Once their footsteps faded away, Drahk finally exhaled.\n\nHe held position for a few seconds to ensure that more weren\u2019t on their way and then snuck down the upper flight onto the landing. He briefly paused to see if the lower flight was clear before cautiously proceeded down the remaining stairs.\n\nBefore him lay the soft underbelly of the beast. A maze of narrow halls led to rooms pumping power and other essentials to the rest of the ship. Drahk drew his sidearm and crouched in a nearby doorway. His mind raced trying to recall what these rooms had been on Olympus. There was that supply store, and the Slapjim\u2019s distillery, and across from that was \u2014\n\nSuddenly, Drahk\u2019s visor flashed. More Humans were moving in his direction. He had to hide, and fast. He looked at the door to see it had a small window and raised from his crouch to glance through. Seeing no one, he quietly said a Rijoran verse to himself, opened the door and slipped inside.\n\nAs hoped, the room was empty. Drahk bristled happily as the door shut. Before him sat one of the ship\u2019s battery bays \u2014 the perfect place to start executing his plan.\n\nCrescent\u2019s gunners ripped into asteroids on both sides of the passageway. Chunks of shattered rock littered their wake, leaving a wide debris field that the Tevs phalanx couldn\u2019t entirely defend them from.\n\n\u201cLatest scan shows their shield strength equalizing under 40% effectiveness,\u201d called Starman Daughtry. A buzz went through the bridge as Wallace intently studied the hologlobe. Her crew was focused and communicating. It was the first time since they\u2019d fallen into their own trap that their confidence was growing.\n\nYet, Commander Wallace knew this strategy wouldn\u2019t last for long. Their own shields were dwindling fast from the constant barrage of debris. They had to deliver a crippling blow before the Tevs changed tactics, or worse, gave up pursuit and forced Crescent to chase them.\n\nThen she saw their chance. Just ahead was a tight turn through a narrow gap that led into a clearing large enough for Crescent to turn around. It was the perfect place to start attacking.\n\n\u201cAttention everyone.\u201d She paused for a second then continued, \u201cIn approximately 15,000 meters, Helmsman Ayers will execute a sharp right turn, steering the ship through a narrow gap. As we enter the clearing, Starman Villar and her weapons team will litter its exit with anti-ship mines. This should draw their phalanx shield\u2019s attention. In the meantime, I want all personnel to prep the ship for close combat.\u201d\n\nA chill settled over the crew. They all knew what close quarters combat with a Tevarin capital ship meant.\n\n\u201cWe won\u2019t win this fight by running. The only chance we have to win is to face them now, while their phalanx is weakened. I know it\u2019s not ideal. Hell, I\u2019m barely convinced it\u2019s not suicide, but it\u2019s the best chance we\u2019ve got to hit the Tevs and take out their primary defenses. Which means it\u2019s the best chance the people of Crion have to live another day.\u201d\n\nShe looked around the faces of the crew, unsure how they\u2019d take it.\n\nAyers was the first to nod to her and turn back to his station.\n\nCommander Wallace looked to Villar, who nodded back. Then she continued, \u201cAyers, coming out of the gap, will swing Crescent clockwise until we\u2019re nearly back where we started and our starboard is perpendicular with the entrance. When the Tev\u2019s ship comes out of that gap, I want us in position to broadside its stern. They can only protect one side of their ship at a time, so let\u2019s force \u2019em to choose between us or a field of mines.\u201d\n\nCoburn immediately called out, \u201cAnyone not understand their role?\u201d When his question was met with silence he continued, \u201cThen let\u2019s get \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander! We just lost power from battery bay two,\u201d Tillman yelled from the engineering station.\n\n\u201cWhat? How?\u201d XO Coburn stormed toward Tillman.\n\nCommander Wallace raced to a terminal and scanned the ship\u2019s currents stats. How could an entire battery bay suffer a major malfunction without any warning?\n\nAyers called out. \u201cI\u2019m losing speed, Commander. Lost ten, now fifteen percent of our overall thrust.\u201d\n\n\u201cDivert power from shields to the engines now! We need to get to this gap as fast as we can.\u201d\n\nStarman Daughtry threw fuel on the fire, \u201cSeeing a power spike from the Tevarin. They\u2019re preparing to attack.\u201d\n\n\u201cCommander, the Tevs are gaining ground. We\u2019ll need shields to fend them off,\u201d Coburn called from the engineering station.\n\n\u201cHow much further until we reach that gap?\u201d\n\n\u201cJust over 5,000 meters, sir,\u201d responded Starman Odorizzi.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ll risk it. Helmsman Ayers, we need to get through this gap clean.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll make it, sir.\u201d Ayers shook his dominant hand to loosen a stress cramp.\n\n\u201cIncoming!\u201d\n\nAyers swung Crescent\u2019s bow toward the narrow gap just as the Tevarin opened fire. The shots screamed past the ship, narrowly avoiding their stern. As Crescent swung into the gap, Wallace called out, \u201cFull power to stern thrusters!\u201d\n\nThe ship surged forward, though its momentum still pulled the portside toward the gap\u2019s asteroids. Meanwhile, Ayers fired the starboard retro thrusters. Wallace hoped Ayers\u2019 actions plus the additional thrust would get the ship through clean.\n\nPortside warning sensors wailed as the ship veered closer and closer to the asteroid. Still, there was a chance this could work. The gap\u2019s exit was close. The ship\u2019s bow was through, but Commander Wallace held her breath until the entire ship entered the clearing.\n\nThen she finally exhaled and called out, \u201cDeploy the mines!\u201d\n\nAs Villar relayed the order to her crew, Helmsman Ayers swung Crescent into its clockwise turn. Wallace watched the Tevarin ship charge through the gap and enter the clearing. It quickly swung its phalanx shield towards the sea of anti-ship mines.\n\nAyers completed Crescent\u2019s turn and the ship was now positioned behind the Tevarin fleet, just where Wallace wanted.\n\n\u201cSend out the order. Ready attack!\u201d\n\nHickory was close. The flight deck wasn\u2019t far away, which meant the ready room had to be somewhere on the other side of this bulkhead door. Time to find a helmet and get off this ship.\n\nThe bulkhead slid open, revealing an empty hallway. Hickory moved towards the flight deck. As he angled towards a door on the right, out stepped a Tevarin.\n\nThe Tevarin immediately raised a weapon, but Hickory was already in motion. Driven by instinct honed over decades of shady deals with shadier characters, he pushed the barrel of the alien weapon to the ceiling with one hand while twisting the body of the weapon with the other. The rifle came free from the Tevarin\u2019s grasp and clattered across the floor.\n\nHands quickly seized Hickory by the throat, lifted then slammed him down on the deck, knocking the wind from his lungs. The two rolled around, exchanging body punches and elbows. Hickory could tell that the Tevarin was trained in fighting, but not experienced. Hickory on the other hand, had been in plenty of fights, but never formally taught. He snaked his arm around the back of the Tevarin\u2019s head and found an access panel into the Tevarin\u2019s suit. He opened it and ripped. He must have snagged the power cords because the faceplate went opaque, completely blinding the Tevarin. Hickory used the distraction to wriggle free and dive for the discarded weapon on the floor.\n\nDrahk finally managed to restore power and clear his helmet in time to see the Human raise his own rifle at him.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t . . . move . . .\u201d Hickory said between labored breaths.\n\n\u201cDo it,\u201d Drahk hissed in near perfect Human. \u201cI am not afraid.\u201d\n\nHickory hesitated, but it wasn\u2019t because the Tevarin was speaking his language. There was something familiar about the dialect. He was about to ask when \u2014\n\n\u201cFreeze!\u201d\n\nHickory and Drahk turned. A group of Marines stood at the end of the hall, weapons raised. One young Marine whose eye was almost swollen shut from a nasty shiner stepped closer, looking down the sights of the rifle Hickory decided not to take.\n\nHickory tossed the Tevarin weapon aside and put his hands up.\n\n\u201cI guess those cells of yours aren\u2019t good for holding anybody for long.\u201d It was all Hickory managed to say before the butt of a rifle cracked him in the side of the head.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026"},"links_count":2,"comment_count":14,"created_at":"2020-03-25T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"6 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 21:18:14","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":17529,"next_id":17532}}