Chapter 10: Avoidance and Destruction

Asteroids tumbled around the two Crytherian freighters as they slowly skirted the Oort cloud, at edge of the system. Aboard the Crytherian freighter, Bountiful Trove, Captain Jelkisa watched their escorts hyper to the ninth planet, to check out the sensor target they have picked up.

Watching the view screen, he said, "Navigator Tilsi, set coordinates for two destinations, one the ninth planet, the other for the planet Karsakini." Turning to another Crytherian he continued, "Liskeria, contact the Gainful Acquisition and tell them what we are planning to do, in case this is a trap."

Communications Specialist Liskeria started entering the commands in to his computer and contacted the Gainful Acquisition.

"This is the Bountiful Trove to the Gainful Acquisition, Captain Jelkisa wants Captain Ywilskia to know that we are setting two courses, one for the ninth planet the other for home at Karsakini, in case this turns out to be a trap. He advises that Captain Ywilskia do the same." Liskeria listened to the response on her earphone. He turned and looked at the Captain, and said, "Sir, Captain Ywilskia agrees with your suggestions."

Lieutenant Tilsi finished typing his commands into to his terminal and said, "Sir, all coordinates set in the navigation computer. We are ready for whichever course you choose."

On the main screen the first cruiser, appeared at the planet and started firing into the strange ship. The first barrage of laser fire from the Taki ripped though the unidentified ship. An explosion blew out the bottom of the ship as he watched.

"Well looks like the battle is almost over. Prepare to jump to the cruisers so..." Suddenly a large explosion caused the dampeners to darken the view screens. When it cleared, the three ships were gone. "Where did they go?"

"Sir, scanning now," replied the sensor officer and then he made his report as it came in. "Sir, the strange ship is gone. I have the Taki. She's on one of the moons. It looks like she was blown into the surface. I have no life signs from her. The Kiska is dead in space ... New contacts ... By the holy one! They are huge, I estimate one is a little larger then a Baliska battleship, and the other is even larger, almost twice the size of a Baliska. They are scanning the wreckage, one is turning this way."

Captain Jelkisa listened to the report and said to his navigator, "Liskeria, contact the Gainful Acquisition, and tell them we're heading home. Tilsi get us out of here, now."

Liskeria activated her communication board just as the Gainful Acquisition disappeared. "Sir, the Gainful Acquisition has jumped to hyperspace."

Tilsi's fingers flew over the computer console and as he hit the last command, they felt the ship shimmer, and he said, "Activating hyper engines now."

The two freighter ships sat there, their hulls sparkling as the force screens that protect them from small space debris disintegrated anything that touched them. Then, one after the other, they slowly faded from view as their hyper-generators came online. Then they were gone, leaving only a slight disturbance in space behind them.

Ken walked down the passageway, his thoughts going out to a young woman, who had just lost her world. They had survived the nuking of Reno, only to die in space as they had been on their first training mission.

Muttering to himself as he stepped into the transport tube, he said, "I am sorry, Mike and Danielle. I will watch over her until she is grown, she will make you proud."

Suddenly the computer, voice said, "Please clarify destination."

Startled Ken looked at the doors, and said, "Forward gun deck; railgun mount ten."

As Ken stood there in the transport tube and he thought of how the trial of the Navy Seals had helped them in the recruitment of troops. Popular support was soaring with the cures for cancer and other diseases that had been introduced.

Trial

"We tried to prevent the Brander from kidnapping a young girl who would have been his next victim. He grabbed my sister instead. I was injured when he hit me with his van. I do not know all that happened in his base, but it turned out that he was a Crytherian slaver and he was kidnapping the victims and leaving cloned corpses in their place.

"We followed him to the moon where he had taken my sister to be interrogated by his superiors and then later to be dragged off planet with the other humans they had kidnapped to be slaves. We were surprised by what was going on. When my marines broke into the base, my sister had broken free, and killed the slaver called the Brander.

"After taking the base, we freed the prisoners and over three thousand agreed to join us. We cured them of all diseases and addictions to cocaine and other hard drugs, as well as to nicotine and alcohol. Several had AIDS, and we even cured that.

"We offered them cures for every kind of disease known to man at this time, which we will offer to the people of the Earth, for free. In fact, the first loads of the vaccines are ready to be dispersed to every hospital in the world along with AR-1198 and AR-1199. The last two vaccines are drugs that will prevent a person from becoming addicted to heroin or cocaine."

Captain Ripley said, "Sir, what about the explosion that leveled Reno?"

"I am getting there." Clearing his throat, he took a sip of his water and continued, "Now, after taking the Moonbase we detected some Crytherian ships inbound towards Earth. Going out to them, we engaged them. The result was that the Crytherian destroyer Dancer was blown up with all hands. We captured the light cruiser Starburst after crippling her, and the freighter Bounty Harvest.

"The two surviving ships are in our custody, and are undergoing repairs. We plan to stage the biggest mass escape in human history. We are going to attack, and take one of their heavy mining worlds and free the slaves there.

"Now, as I was saying, we took the ships. Then we headed back to the Moon, and started our own repairs. I then went to the United Nations and told them what I was planning on doing, since it was their fault for not standing up to the Crytherians. I understood their reasons for signing the contract, however, we can now fight them. We will be setting up a new web site, which will offer the choice of joining us to the general public. You will have to agree to certain things, before you're allowed to join, but that is for another time, so I shall continue what I was saying.

"While I was addressing the United Nations, my ship's sensors detected the explosion of a class three Crytherian nuclear demolition charge outside of Reno - which is my hometown.

"The ship immediately went to its present location and started decontamination process with ARCL198, this chemical - while quite harmless to all human, animals and plant life - renders radiation inert.

"We began airlifting every survivor we could, and injecting them with anti-radiation, and anti-cancer serums. Every person who survived the attack have been cleared of all forms of cancer, and are now disease free. Let's say they had herpes ... Well, if they had it, it's been cured, and they can never get it again. It's my way to apologize to everyone for not checking the slaver's base.

"Now, as for the Seals, they tried to take the ship after I was gunned down a few days ago. I was hit in the chest by a high caliber rifle round. I am alive due to the quick thinking of some of our marines and a very brave little girl who joined us last night. She is in training to be an officer in the future fleet that I plan on building. I was also notified by her parents that they wish to join us, along with their best friends. Now the Seals have tried to arrest me, and they still want to. That's all I have to say on this matter."

Captain Ripley stood back up and said, "Sir, do you know who issued these orders?"

Ken thought on this and remembered the briefing Amy had given him, and said, "Well, the warrants were issued by a United States Supreme Court Justice, and were issued to the Justice Department. Starting at such a high level, I would say the orders came from higher up. The White House seems logical, but I cannot prove it."

"Sir, are you saying the President of the United States wanted you arrested?"

Shaking his head, he responded, "Yes; but more importantly, he or someone in the upper echelon of the Government, wants this ship."

"But you have no proof?"

Ken glares out at the camera, and responded, "No, I don't. If I get it, I will have him in court for attempted theft of Federation property."

"Thank you, Sir, that's all I have."

Ted looked at Captain DeWitt, and said, "Cross examine, Captain?"

Ashley looked at Admiral Thompson and stood up, and said, "Sir, are you saying you think this is a conspiracy by the Government of the United States? Are you not in a foreign warship, over United States airspace?"

"Yes we are a foreign warship, a ship that has been offering aid to a massive exodus of United States citizens, the Government is stretched thin, especially with FEMA dealing with the hurricanes that have ravaged Florida this year. However, that was not on my mind. My home city needed help, I could offer it, and I did. If the government does not like it, so be it. They have shown that they do not, because they tried to kidnap my family and me."

"Sir, are you saying they tried to kidnap you. Do you have any proof?

Ken looked at Captain DeWitt and then at Commander Hutcheson, and said, "If these were legitimate warrants why did they try and sneak on board to kidnap a wounded soldier out of a medical ward? Why didn't the United States Marshals came to our main staging area, and try to serve them, huh? No this was an attempt to take my command by kidnapping me and my family."

Captain DeWitt looked at Admiral Thompson and said, "Sir, that was not what I asked. Do you have any proof that Navy Seals tried to kidnap you? Yes or No please, Sir."

Ken thought for a second and said, "No, I don't."

Alisha quickly asked her next question, "So are you saying you don't recognize warrants from the Federal Government?"

Ken pondered the question and then said, "Yes, I recognize them on American citizens, but I'm not an American citizen anymore, I'm a member of the Terran Federation."

Captain DeWitt picked up her note pad and looked at her next question, and asked, "So you're saying the Federation is above American law?"

Ken thought on what little law he knew and said, "No, I'm not. It's the charges that I'm against. I'm not a traitor to the United States. I gave up my citizenship voluntarily, which is my constitutional right under the laws of the United States. Also, the United States Government, to bring those charges against me, needs two witnesses to prove said act."

Alisha sighed, and said, "Your honor, please ask the witness to answer my questions with a yes or no, not with speeches."

Ted looked to his best friend and said, "The witness will answer the questions with a simple yes or no, unless he is requested to explain his answer. Do you understand, Sir?"

Ken looked at Ted with surprise and back to Captain DeWitt and said, "Yes, I understand. I apologize to the court."

Looking back at her pad, she said, "Admiral, you stated earlier that the warrants were issued by a United States Supreme Court Justice and were issued to the Justice Department. Is not the Justice Department allowed to file warrants for arrest with the court?"

Ken sat up straighter, and answered, "Yes, I did say that ... and yes, to my knowledge they are allowed to do those things."

Still looking at her pad she said, "What is the Justice Department?"