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New Russia 2205
Morning has broken, the sun barely shines.
A young, fresh-faced member of Icarus Fleet pulls on his uniform and smiles. They’ve just landed for two whole weeks to spend with their families before being deployed.
“We made it,” Alex pats his comrades on the back hard enough to jostle them.
“Don’t fuck up too much during your time off,” Lt. Sergei Gonchar warns. He’s been assigned to take care of the four Russian boys as a part of his own rest and relaxation time. Basically he’ll be called if one of them manages to get arrested.
“You’ve been quiet,” Alex says grasping Datsyuk’s should tight.
“Alex,” Geno shakes his head. “Pavel is always quiet. Why don’t you and Semin go fuck off somewhere?”
Semin blushes – it wasn’t how Geno had meant it, but it was clear everyone had taken it that way.
Alex wiggles his eyebrows, “Sounds like a plan!” He wraps an arm around Semin’s neck and they walk off together.
“What are you going to do?” Lt. Gonchar asks.
“I’m going to see my family!” Geno smiles. “I just saw them at graduation, but I figure I won’t be seeing them for a while.”
“Good thinking son,” Lt. Gonchar smiles. “Have a good time.”
Datsyuk tenses and looks up at the sky. Lt. Gonchar and Geno both startle at the unexpected movement. They stare as Datsyuk tremors a bit before screaming, “RUN!”
Geno follows Datsyuk’s gaze and in an instant his blood turns to ice and his heart stops.
Space 2217
A ship slows in space as it nears the destination’s coordinates. It’s only big enough for four or five men, but this particular ship has one person piloting it. It rounds a gas giant and suddenly faces a behemoth ship. The new ship is black with advanced weaponry jutting out from all sides. A few of those weapons aim at the ship as it approaches, however the giant ship opens its cargo bay doors and the monster devours the small transport ship.
Geno lands softly and shuts down the ship’s systems before taking a deep breath. He opens the door in the back and steps out, a hand tapping his gun in the back of his pants. He finds himself face-to-face with a man he’s never met before. The man has a stern expression framed by long, unkempt hair.
The mysterious man makes a sudden move and Geno reacts immediately. He grabs at the man’s arm and pulls him down laying a hard knee into the man’s chest. He rears back before placing a low kick tripping Geno. Geno’s back clangs metal to metal on the ship’s floor. He rolls up with the aid of his new mechanical spine and lands a roundhouse kick sending the man flying. He rushes up and grabs the man’s neck and pins him to the cargo bay landing pad.
“Very good my friend,” a new yet very recognizable voice laughs. “Even though you are of Icarus Fleet you fight well.”
Geno looks up but keeps the man held to the ground. “Your idea of a warm welcome?”
He looks down at the man pinned to the ground, desperate for air. “He was... confused. He doesn’t know that you are a guest of honor here.”
Geno holds the tense moment for a few seconds longer before releasing the man’s neck and standing up. The man writhes on the ground coughing and wheezing for air.
“How are you my friend?”
Geno growls, “We are not friends, Ovechkin. You are a pirate!”
Ovechkin’s smile falters only slightly, “You say that like it is a bad thing... no matter. You talk of our fallen friendship... remember it is not me that is asking for a favor.” The coughing and rolling man is starting to breath relatively normally again. “I’m also not the one who just tried to kill my first officer.”
Geno smirks at that. “I’m not asking for a favor... I’m calling on a debt.”
Ovechkin waves off his comment, “Yes yes, I know. Come with me and we’ll talk over Vodka.” Ovechkin turns and begins to walk out of the cargo bay, Geno follows as Ovechkin calls out, “Get up Niklas!”
“You are being court martialed for suspicions of treason against Icarus Fleet and United Earth. How do you plead?”
Sid looks up at the gray, metal desk in front of him. Three men in Icarus Fleet uniforms are seated, staring at him intently. To the left is Fleet Admiral Gary Bettman, to the right is Commandant Quenneville, and seated in the center, speaking for the three men is Judge Bill Daly, the presiding judge of the court martial.
“Not guilty,” Sid replies sternly.
Bettman’s frown deepens and Daly sighs pressing notes into his tablet. Sid looks to his left. The most senior JAG officer has been assigned the case, Judge Advocate Brendan Shanahan.
“You will be held in Malone Military Penitentiary until a court martial date can be set,” Daly reads. Sid knows it’s to give the prosecution more time to build a defense. Sid has decided to defend himself, which in hindsight feels like the worst decision he’s made as of yet. He tugs on his black, Icarus uniform, which has been stripped of its Captain pin.
“Where is Commander Malkin?” Vice Admiral Bylsma demands.
Brooks looks up from schematics on a holo-projector. Standing around the projector is Letang, Martin, and a few engineers from the USS Nelson. They’ve been discussing further alterations to the ship in this time of repair they’ve got before they’re assigned another mission.
“He’s not here sir,” Brooks calmly replies. “I’m acting captain.”
Bylsma grimaces. “Tell him that he’s been given captaincy of the USS Nelson. Assuming he’s here when it gets its next mission.”
Brooks keeps a straight face. “Yes sir.” Bylsma has been perpetually angry since Sid’s arrest. Someone had mentioned that Bylsma had warned Sid from using Potash as a source. He’d also off the record been heard saying that he believed Sid was being set up with the ship found at the mining outpost. Potash just made the accusation stick even better.
“I think we may just have to scrap this whole crew and reassign a new one for the USS Nelson,” Bylsma threatens. “Keep it in line.”
“Yes Vice Admiral,” Brooks nods. No one blames Bylsma for his anger. Normally he is the most approachable of the higher-ups in Icarus Fleet. Bettman is the only other loving soul among those Senior Admirals.
“Report to me when Captain Malkin returns!”
Ovechkin’s quarters are lavish and decorated with trophies of battles won and loots stolen. Geno does his best to hide his amusement at the fair number of self-portraits also adorning the four walls of the bedchamber.
The sliding doors hiss open and a man carrying a tray with two crystal glasses and a large bottle of high-end Russian vodka enters. “Thank you, Holtby.” The man wordlessly places the tray down and leaves. “It is real Russian vodka. From the homeland.”
“None for me, thank you,” Geno says waving a hand. Ovechkin pours him a glass anyways and Geno can’t help but take a sip. Fuck it’s good.
“Is this about your captain?”
Geno looks shocked at Ovechkin’s question. It’s only been three days and Ovechkin’s ship is nowhere near Earth.
“Don’t look so surprised, Zhenya!” Ovechkin laughs. “Haven’t you heard – Pirates know the seas! The tides are shifting.”
“How could you know that?” Geno sneers, his patience with the cryptic Ovechkin running thin, as usual.
“I would shock you with the information I know,” Ovechkin hides a smile. “Hearing it from me wouldn’t be enough to convince you. You’ll have to find out on your own. But enough about all that! What would you like from me?”
Geno takes a deep breath before sipping on the vodka. “We need our captain back.”
An awkward silence falls as Ovechkin recognizes the pure brutality of Geno’s determination. “I will help,” he nods.
“Thank you, brother,” Geno lets the casual term of endearment slip and for the smallest moment the two men feel twelve years younger and an immeasurable amount of despair and misery fades.
“How is he?” Ovechkin nearly whispers, wrapped in the moment.
“He’s good,” Geno nods. “Quiet, strong, determined. He misses you.”
Ovechkin’s eyes fall to the ground and all of the sudden Geno sees the lavish office for what it is, a distraction from the pain of Ovechkin’s greatest loss.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. We can always be allies,” Geno suggests. “You can see each other.”
Ovechkin scoffs and the tension and cloud of emotion evaporates. “Keep to your business Commander. We have a Captain to save.”
“Sidney,” an almost cheery tenor says calmly.
Sid jerks up from a light slumber to find that Fleet Admiral Bettman is seated in his cell.
“Sorry to wake you,” Bettman says with a sad smile. “I wanted to talk. Just us. Off the record.”
Sid jumps up to attention, before Bettman waves him down in a conversational manner. “Yeah,” Sid rubs his eyes. “Yes, I’d like that.”
Bettman stares at Sid silently, as if expecting Sid to lead the conversation.
“Isn’t this a little much for any contact I had with Dan Potash?” Sid braves to ask.
“Well, rules are rules, they are what run this fleet. That said, if your contact with Potash was the only apparent act of treason, I would’ve let you off with a warning,” all smile fades from Bettman’s expression. “But we both know that there is another, much more dire reason why you’ve been brought up on treason charges.”
Sid shakes his head, sighing heavily. “You can’t POSSIBLY think that I had anything to do with the attack on the mining outpost?”
“I’m sure the evidence will tell us the truth,” Bettman remarks uncommitted.
Sid can see his reflect from his seat on the cot in his cell. His eyes look exhausted and his posture is losing that military uprightness. “I promise you Admiral, I didn’t do anything.”
Bettman holds a hand up to silence Sid. “I believe you son! But it’s best we not discuss it. There are two men here for you.” Bettman stands and Sid quickly stands too, showing respect for his commanding officer. Sid knows he’ll do it until they discharge him. Bettman pats Sid on the shoulder before slowly walking out of the cell, the twin sliding doors opening at touch of his palm.
Moments later the doors reopened and two men enter. One, older and slightly shorter has a stern look on his face while his younger, taller counterpart is wearing a smile that screams pity for Sid’s situation. They’re both dressed in gray standard Icarus Fleet Officer uniforms.
“Captain Crosby,” the older one says holding a hand out.
“I’m not a captain anymore,” Sid replies shaking his hand before shaking the younger fellow’s. The younger one looks honored just to be in the same room as Sid, even if it is a prison cell.
“You are to us,” the older one says quickly. “I’m Lieutenant Brenden Morrow, and this is Ensign Brandon Sutter. We’re here to be your legal representation in the court martial.
Sid shakes his head roughly, “I said I didn’t want any.”
“We know,” Morrow answers, having expected Sid’s rebuttal. “But we have to insist. We are under strict orders from the Acting Captain of the USS Nelson.”
Sid shakes his head. “Commander Malkin hated my guts a month ago, why would he ‘insist’ on representation? I know he’s been officially award Captaincy of the USS Nelson.”
Morrow hands over a brown, leather-bound book. Such items aren’t completely lost, but they’re rare on United Earth. Paper is a sign of someone wanting to ensure their information won’t be hacked.
Sid takes it and looks at Morrow skeptically before opening it. A single line is scrawled in messy handwriting.
Just take the help.
“What is this?”
“Commander Malkin gave us this. It’s for communication between you. He, understandably, thinks it would be a bad idea for you two to actually meet in person. As do we. So any information either of you needs to get to the other can be trusted in this book.”
“How can I trust you? You could be making all of this up.”
Morrow smiles. “He said you might say that. He said to let you know ‘his teeth are much better now that he’s not clenching them as much.’”
Sid barks a short laugh, remembering when he’d made a quip about Malkin’s teeth just before they teleported to the mining outpost for the first time.
“We need to prove your innocence,” Morrow continues. Pressing the severity of the issue. “We’re far behind Shanahan, so you’re going to have to catch us up. Don’t hold anything back.”
“How are his vitals?” Dr. Dupuis asks, he’s gained enough confidence to not triple check everything Beau does.
“Looking good,” he replies as he places a hand on the shoulder of the crewmember currently unconscious on their table. Beau’s eyelids droop a little from exhaustion.
“Go take a break, Beau,” Dr. Dupuis says sternly. Though he’s begun to trust Beau’s medical ability, he hasn’t warmed up to the prisoner-turned-temporary-crewmember just yet. Commander Malkin had filed a special order that kept the prisoner on the USS Nelson as a part of Medical Staff so that he could tend to the mechanical spine he’d saved Malkin with. Dupuis had accepted the extra help through gritted teeth and clenched fists. The flipside is that Beau must tell them everything he knows, meaning there will be more interrogations and he’s to act as an informant if he sees anything relating to the attack on the Scutum-Centaurus Alpha 5 Mining Outpost 213.
“Yes sir,” Beau turns and walks swiftly out of the Medical Bay and straight into the firm chest and pillar of man that is Jordan Staal. Beau nearly topples backward before Jordan’s strong hands grip his arm. “Sorry sir.... oh.”
Jordan’s face saddens a bit as Beau realizes who he’s run into. They haven’t spoken, not since the night Beau saved Commander Malkin. Jordan’s grey shirt with UEMC stamped in black on it is drenched in sweat, which the towel around his neck is doing nothing to soak up.
“We’re taking off soon,” Jordan says awkwardly, as if they have nothing else they could talk about.
“I know,” Beau retorts.
“Right,” Jordan bites his lip. “I... Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For what you did for Commander Malkin. You didn’t have to,” Jordan rubs the back of his Marine-grade buzz cut.
“I want to start making up for what I did while I was in the suit,” Beau says. His time in the robotics suit felt like he’d been possessed. Now out of the suit he’s beginning to feel like a human again.
Jordan’s eyes look sadder for a moment.
“What?” Beau asks swallowing nervously.
“It’s nothing,” Jordan quickly covers. “I’m just... I’m glad you could stay.” Jordan nearly runs off, leaving Beau standing in the hall, alone.
New Russia 2205
“Alex! Alex!” Geno breathes in a gulp of hot air and ash. He sputters a coughs, screams coming from the city before him. Buildings begin to crumble and fall.
It had been a huge beam of electric blue light from the sky. In a second the entire city was lit on fire, explosions erupting all over. Datsyuk silently follows Geno as he runs in the direction the two Alex’s had gone. They find the two men unconscious, trapped under a concrete rod. Datsyuk and Geno start groaning as the try and lift the impossibly heavy rod.
Just as all hope for freeing the two men vanishes, Gonchar appears behind them and lifts freeing just enough space for Geno to kneel and pull the two men to safety.
Geno hold’s Ovechkin’s unconscious head and weeps dryly. “Dear god,” he whispers, “what has happened?”
Earth 2217
“Did you fight someone?” Beau asks as he inspects the small malfunction in Geno’s mechanical spine. He’d attached it so fast and dirty, it had a few misplaced spinal wraps. Also, Geno had been so dedicated in the business with his captain, that he’d ignored Beau’s attempts to take a closer look. Now Geno felt like a spike was lodged in his back and he needed it to be attended to.
“Can you fix,” Geno grunts, ignoring Beau’s prying questions.
“Yeah,” Beau sighs. “You know the drill. This is going to hurt...” Beau pauses for a moment, “Do I need to get guys to hold you down?”
“Just do it,” Geno growls.
“Okay,” Beau replies. “On three. One... Two,” Beau snaps dislodged spinal link in on two, completely taking Geno by surprise. Geno screams in agony as the twin needles pierce into his skin and rewrap themselves around his spinal column.
Geno screams curses in Russian. His face goes scarlet, but as quickly as the pain started, Beau can already see evidence of it fading. Geno’s face returns back to normal and a minute later he’s able to sit up.
“Better?” Beau asks, raising a single eyebrow.
“Yes,” Geno is still speaking in Russian, but Beau figures that’s just the shock.
Vice Admiral Bylsma is standing in the doorway of the medical bay, Geno holds back a groan. He knew he’d have to face the man eventually. Geno struggles as he manages to pull a white tee shirt back on over his muscled upper body.
“Where have you been?” Vice Admiral Bylsma growls.
“I...”
Vice Admiral holds up a hand, silencing Geno’s protestations. Beau makes a strangled, awkward sound with a contorted face, before excusing himself mumbling apologies. Beau was understandable wary of any non-USS Nelson personnel. Considering the last time such personnel entered the ship they arrested their own captain.
“You are the captain of this vessel,” his voice is a harsh whisper despite the face that no one is around to hear them. “You need to make sure you’ve got this on lock down! I had to fight hard to have you named the new captain. I mean with the Russian Five and all, they don’t trust you completely yet, and disappearing off planet will not help.”
Geno scowled at the mention of the Russian Five. He’d never live it down it seemed.
“It’s too late for Sid. Even if somehow he makes it out of the court martial... they’re not giving him the ship back.”
“But...”
Another hand of silence. “This is the most powerful battleship in the fleet. The only reason you haven’t been sent to the Auron System is because we’re not confident in the crew... specifically it’s senior officers. You want to see action? You want to fight for Earth? Show us we can trust you.”
Geno nods, lips pressed shut in a displeased, thin line.
“You’re taking off in two days to make sure the ship is fully functional. Then you’ll have new orders.”
“Yes sir,” Geno snarls through gritted teeth.
“Oh and one more thing,” Vice Admiral says as he’s walking away. “Keep an eye on at prisoner. He may be taking care of your spine, but he is still a prisoner of Icarus Fleet.”
“Yes sir,” Geno repeats. Sid was definitely right about his teeth.
Bylsma is mad. Say mean things. I got help from people. Will let you in on plan. In a bit.
Sid scoffs, “this system of passing notes isn’t going to work if Malkin doesn’t tell me anything.”
“He will,” Morrow replies. “Let’s talk then you can reply.”
“Shanahan has you pegged for a traitor. He’s going to say that you aided the attack on the mining outpost and that you tried to send a message back through the videos you sent to Potash,” Sutter explains.
“What?” Sid feels his heart flip. “Is Potash in trouble?”
“Worse,” Morrow replies.
“He’s in hiding,” Sutter finishes.
Sid takes a breath. He’d thought they were going to say ‘dead.’ “Why is that worse?”
“No witness, just more speculation and doubt about your allegiance to Icarus Fleet,” Morrow explains.
“It’s probably best he stay in hiding,” Sid comments absently.
“Best for him,” Sutter continues. “We’re worried about you!”
Sid takes a deep breath. “I don’t want to take anyone down with me. I’m not sure there’s much hope for me.”
Morrow purses his lips before throwing the notebook at Sid, “Write him back. Then we’re leaving. Next time we get back, why don’t you have a better attitude. Maybe try wanting to win this case or something?”
In the War Room of the USS Nelson, the senior officers sit in a circle, silence of solidarity surrounding them in a thick cloud of tension. It’s become clear to each of them – there’s only one way to ensure they can have their captain back.
“This is crazy,” Brooks finally says.
“Yes,” Commander Malkin nods.
“Fuck the fleet,” Kunitz adds. “If this is what they do to their own, I don’t want to be a part of it.”
The silence seems quieter after Kunitz’s outburst. Commander Malkin stands, solemnly look in the eyes of each of his senior officers. “Choose now. Talk to your men. If you all choose to leave the Fleet then you stand with us. If not, you are free to leave the ship.” He knows that if even a single man chooses to leave, they could ruin the ship’s chance at breaking away from the fleet.
Jordan nods silently as the IF Marines representative. He’d lied to Malkin, saying that Eric had sent him, when in fact he’d intercepted the com while Eric was showering. He’s glad he did. Eric would never be okay with this. All Jordan could think of was what this would mean for Beau. It’d finally give him freedom.
One by one the men begin to leave the War Room, deep in thought.
Brooks places a hand on Malkin’s shoulder. “We’re doing the right thing.”
“The men of the Rogue Empire say same thing when they leave one hundred years ago,” Malkin finally says out loud what everyone is thinking.
“We aren’t them,” Brooks replies. Before he can say anything else Lt. Neal nervously sidles up to the two commanding officers.
“Yes Lt. Neal?” Malkin raises an eyebrow.
“I...” Neal flushes bright red, he’s shaking from fear. “I’m the one...”
Malkin holds a hand up to silence him, “Lt. Neal, we not know who turned in Captain. We just hope that he choose a side.”
Lt. Neal returns a shocked expression, eyes as wide as saucers. They’d known for a while that he’d been the one that’d turned in Captain Crosby. They’d included him hoping to regain his trust.
“Yes sir.”
“What are you doing?” Eric snarls, Jordan nearly drops his toothbrush, his hand grabbing the towel wrapped around his waist.
“FUCK ERIC!” Jordan mumbles with a mouth full of frothy paste, his heart still stuttering from the scare. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“What are you doing with the prisoner?”
“Beau?” Jordan asks spitting into the sink, legitimately confused by Eric’s intense approach. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw you two talking today. Get your shit together. He’s still a prisoner,” Eric’s grimace never fading.
“I get it Eric,” Jordan replies.
“That’s Major Staal,” Eric spits before stomping off. Jordan looks down at the sink. He realizes he’s been gripping the counter so hard his hands have gone completely white, except for a small trail of blood from where the edge has cut into his skin.
Get back to work. Stop worrying about me. I’ll get through this, captain the ship Geno.
Geno slams the notebook shut and takes a deep breath before ripping it open and writing his note back and handing the book to Morrow.
“We are doing it tomorrow,” Geno says with careful English.
Morrow seems a bit nervous but nods silently before replying, “Yes sir.”
Geno watches him leave the bridge before turning to his helmsman and the other senior officers. “We must do the plan tomorrow. Can’t wait any longer.”
All of the faces stare back at him, serious and morose. Geno feels his chest constrict. They know the plan. They’ve been discussing it nonstop. It had quickly become apparent that Captain Crosby would never make it out of there as an Icarus Officer. Soon, the plan to rebel was born and had grown like wildfire among the angry crew of the ship, displeased by the loss of their captain.
“Anybody who does not want this, leave tonight.”
Brooks stands silently, staring at Geno. He takes a few steps towards his captain before placing a firm hand on Geno’s shoulder. “I’m with you Commander.”
Slowly Helmsman Iginla stands too, “As am I, Commander.”
Kunitz shoots up next, throwing her hair back, “Why the fuck not? It’ll be fun!” She looks around, some of the faces have twisted in a small smile, but the morose silence still hangs over them. “...Commander,” she adds meekly.
Then real smiles break and others begin to stand and profess their allegiance to Commander Malkin. Geno swells with pride. They might be able to pull this off.
Night has fallen and the shipyards are quiet. Brooks opens the bay door and two members of the USS Saariaho enter.
“Commander Orpik,” one says snapping to attention. The other see’s the movement and immediately copies without saying a word.
“At ease,” Brooks says quickly. “What did she say?”
The man shuffles nervously, “she says she will offer to head the search for your ship, but she doesn’t think they’ll go for it because of your relationship.”
“And?”
The man’s Finnish accent seemed to get thicker as he grew more nervous. “She say you are crazy and stupid.”
“Anything else?”
“She loves you.”
Brooks smiles. “Thanks. Give her this for me,” he hands his golden chain a gift from his father for graduating from Icarus Fleet Academy. “Tell her I’ll see her when we get back.”
The man nods and the pair quickly salute and exit the ship. Brooks stands for a moment before leaning against the cold wall of the ship and breaking down. If everything went as planned, there’s no telling how long it will be until he can see his wife again.
“What are you doing?” Eric screams struggling against the electro bands pulling his arms behind his back. They’re designed to send small shocks into the wrists of the captive if they struggle too much. Undoubtedly Eric is being shocked quite a bit, but he continues to struggle nonetheless.
“I’m sorry brother,” Jordan whispers. “I have no choice.” Jordan hits Eric on the head, his brother blacks out immediately. Their youngest brother, Jared, helps lift Eric out of his quarters and into the cell they’d been keeping Beau in.
“He’s going to kill me,” Jared groans. He hasn’t been a private in the IF Marines for long, but he’d grown close to Jordan during his service and now he’d chosen Jordan’s side of Eric’s. Eric would never be okay with fleeing from Icarus Fleet with their own battleship and he certainly wouldn’t keep his mouth shut if they let him off the ship.
Jordan had convinced Jared that when they rejoin the Fleet after everything’s solved, Jordan will take full responsibility and nothing bad would happen to anyone else. Jared saw it for bullshit, but it was comforting bullshit.
New Russia 2205
“A horrifying attack in Magnitogorsk, New Russia stunned the world today. Officials in Icarus Fleet are calling it an ‘unprovoked act of terror.’ Witnesses say a large beam of electricity appeared in the sky and fired upon the city, causing catastrophic destruction and causing at approximately 650,000 fatalities.
“Five men, four new Icarus Fleet officers and one senior officer had just arrived on the outskirts of town for rest and relaxation time before deployment in the fleet. They weren’t within the city limits when the attack occurred and reports show that all five are alive, with two in intensive care.”
The story spread. Every media group in every region of United Earth sensationalized it. Everyone wanted interviews with the ‘Russian Five.’
However soon after the disaster the Russian Five quickly disbanded. Shows did episodes dedicated to each member, discussing what happened and where they went.
Evgeni Malkin continued on his path in Icarus Fleet. He rose quickly among the ranks showing great determination and desperate to help anyone in need of aid, and hoping to prevent any similar attacks from ever happening again.
Alexander Semin left the Space Corps and enlisted in the Icarus Fleet Marines. He’d been the only one of the five to not lose his family in the attack, though he lost a number of friends. Having been an orphan his whole life, he’d really only been in Magnitogorsk to meet Alexander Ovechkin’s family.
Alexander Ovechkin left Icarus Fleet on the first private flight out of United Earth. He joined a band of pirates who lived on stolen ships, commandeered vessels of all types, and stranded crewmembers on neighboring planets or in some cases made slaves out of them. Sometimes, though rare, a run in with Ovechkin’s band of pirates meant death.
Sergei Gonchar joined the Rogue Empire, blaming the attack and subsequent poor investigation on the internal corruption of Icarus Fleet and chose to fight against them. He rose in ranks to become a senior officer on a battleship in the Rogue Empire’s Fleet.
Pavel Datsyuk was the most mysterious of the Russian Five. The man disappeared on a private flight off planet. He hasn’t been heard or seen since.
As for the attack, despite numerous investigations no one was able to pin point what made the beam, why it was fired on Magnitogorsk, or who fired it. Twelve years later no nation, empire, planet, or fleet has ever taken credit for the attack and no similar attack has been witnessed. It’s one of the great mysteries of the millennium.
Earth 2217
Morrow pulls out the seventh and final hacking code to break into Bettman’s office. This could be his last chance to find the information he’s suspected he’d find. The office doors slide open silently and Morrow sneaks in.
Quickly he begins to download the information for the desk’s hard drive while scanning through tons of paper records in and around the desk.
“Holy shit,” Morrow breathes as he finds a bit more than he was expecting. He kneels and videos his findings frantically, grabs the hacking stick from the deck, and sends a transmission to the USS Nelson containing everything he’s found.
“What are you doing?” A sleazy voice slithers from the doorway.
Morrow jolts and finds himself on his knees in front of Admiral Bettman.
“You’re a traitor!” Morrow snarls.
Bettman laughs, “Oh how I wish you weren’t in here.”
“How dare you?” Morrow shouts. “How dare you turn your back on this fleet?”
“This isn’t about some fucking pitiful fleet. Not anymore. You can’t even begin to fathom the power that exists in this universe. There are powers out there that could squash us in an instant! I’m going to have that. I will be that.”
“You’re not going to do anything, I’m going to turn you in,” Morrow sneers.
“That’s if you get out of this office alive,” Bettman laughs.
“The information has already been broadcasted to the USS Nelson,” Morrow adds. “There’s nothing you can do.”
Bettman pauses for a moment, mulling over what he’s been told. “Well then, I guess we’ll just have to do something about that USS Nelson... a horrible accident tomorrow morning?” Bettman pulls out his pistol and rubs it in his hand.
“You’re a monster,” Morrow spits at Bettman in a final act of defiance.
“Not yet... but I will be...”
BANG!
Sutter arrives alone the next morning. His face is dark and it looks as though he’s been crying.
“What happened?” Sid jumps up from the bed in his cell.
“Can’t talk now,” Sutter whispers. “Morrow is dead. Here.”
He hands Sid the notebook and sits down in a chair near the door. Sid looks shocked at Sutter before turning his attention to the notebook hoping it will tell him more. He opens it to the latest page.
DUCK!
Sid’s brow furrows. “I don’t get it. It just says...”
A blast rings out causing Sid and Sutter to fly against the far wall of the cell. Sid jumps up to see a huge hole blasted in the wall of his cell. A small fighter ship, not Icarus Fleet grade, hovers with its door open.
“Get in!” A man bellows at the entrance of the ship.
“Who are you?” Sid shouts as Sutter pushes past him and jumps on the ship.
“No time to explain,” the mysterious man says.
Sutter calls out. “Trust us! It’ll help relieve the tension on Malkin’s teeth!”
Sid shakes his head in disbelief. It’s hardly a code anymore. Sutter could just be repeating what he’d heard from Morrow. But he ignores the nagging fear in his chest. He just thinks about Morrow and realizes that this case was decided before the USS Nelson had landed on United Earth.
Sid jumps up into the transport ship and it zooms away, nearly missing two Icarus Fleet Fighter Jets.
Geno smiles as he sees the transport flying into the sky. “That our sign! Hit it Iginla!”
“Yes commander!” Iginla says revving the ship to life and taking off without the proper Icarus Fleet protocol. The ship breaks from the scaffolding set up to work on it and takes off.
“Six fighter jets on our tail!” Kunitz says from her screen.
“Keep going!” Geno shouts as they pass out of the atmosphere and into space. The jets fire warning shots that graze the side of the ship. The six fighter jets stop the minute they pass into space. The small transport ship has docked in a huge pirate ship, firepower aimed at the incoming forces.
The USS Nelson passes by the pirate ship and heads into space safely.
“Done good, babe,” the man in the co-pilot seat says as he leans over and messily kisses the pilot’s mouth.
The pilot laughs he pulls the other man towards him, pressing their bodies against each other in a crude display of affection that’s making Sid’s cheeks flame hot with red embarrassment.
Sid clears his throat, as if needing to remind the men of their human cargo.
“Sorry,” the pilot chuckles breaking away from his man. “I’m Brooks Laich, helmsman for this ship.” He points to the larger ship they’ve docked in. “This is 2nd Mate, Green.”
“Nice to meet you,” Sid says keeping up pretense of civility. “But why did you help me escape? And why am I on your ship?”
Sutter stands, “actually, this was Commander Malkin’s plan.”
“What?”
“Just lead us to your transporters,” Sutter says, ignoring Sid’s protestations.
“Sorry bud,” Laich laughs. “You’re going the old fashioned way.”
Sid and Sutter step off the transport ship to find an Icarus Fleet ship waiting in the docking bay.
“I hope one of you knows how to fly it,” Laich jokes.
“Of course he knows!” A foreign voice booms. “Is Sidney Crosby!” The new man, large and glamorous wildly shakes Sid’s hand. “Is honor to meet the great Sidney Crosby!”
Sid is uncomfortable and confused.
“I am Alexander Ovechkin,” the man clarifies.
Sid unconsciously backs away in shock. “Ovechkin? As in the Russian Five?”
“The same,” Ovechkin returns with gleeful, wide grin. “Welcome to my ship!”
“This is a pirate ship?” Sid looks around before turning to Laich and Green. They’re plastered to each other again, Green writhing against Laich who’s pressed up against the ship, eyes half-lidded with please at the public dry humping. “You’re pirates?”
“Ha, yeah,” Laich manages.
“Is more fun on my ship, no?” Ovechkin adds wiggling his eyebrows. “No stuffy suits. No pesky rules.”
Sid doesn’t have a response.
“Is your ship,” Ovechkin points to the Icarus Fleet vessel. “Fly to USS Nelson and be free from Icarus!”
Sid wants to get off the ship as fast as possible, so he follows Sutter to the ship’s door and ignores Ovechkin’s cryptic comments.
“Oh and Crosby,” Ovechkin adds, his tone completely shifted to a much more serious baritone. “Tell Zhenya we are even. No more favors. Stay clear of our ship. We don’t have allies.”
Sid nods soberly before disappearing into the ship and starting up the engines.
“Hey,” Jordan says softly.
“Hi,” Beau replies, not getting out of bed. “What do you want?”
“I... We found out some things about you,” Jordan says carefully. Beau shoots up from his lying position.
“My family?” He nearly shouts. “Are they okay?”
Jordan’s expression falls even darker before he shakes his head solemnly.
Jordan watches as Beau’s entire demeanor falls. All the walls of emotionless and cold dedication split and he collapses, dry heaving. Jordan runs to his side and holds the young man. “It was Admiral Bettman. We found the orders he sent to have your family murdered. They’re dated just after you were kidnapped.”
No amount of explanation can help Beau, so Jordan just holds him tighter and rubs his back, soothing him with coos of comfort and relaxation.
Crosby’s welcome back to the ship is warm and thunderous. The crew has given everything in order to save the man and their dedication is ever apparent. Crosby is moved by their commitment and happily accepts his position as captain of the newly independent Battleship Nelson.
Geno follows Crosby back to his quarters. Crosby slams his fists into the wall of his office as he cracks under the pressure. “What have you done, Geno?”
Geno shuffles awkwardly, trying to decide whether he should approach the young captain or keep a wide berth.
“We did to save you.”
“At what cost?” Crosby says turning, his eyes red. “Morrow is dead, every crewmember on here is a traitor, and we have no home base, no one to provide aid, no one to house us for repairs.”
Geno looks solemn, a reverent showing for Morrow before saying, “We have allies.”
“Who? Ovechkin? Because that’s not what he thinks.”
Geno scoffs, “Not him. Captain Thornton. The USS Saariaho is help us. They send out men to ‘find’ us.” Likely meaning always giving them a head start. “And they pick up where we left off. It Admiral Bettman, he is traitor, Sid.”
Sid is taken off guard by the conversational nature of Geno’s address. “What do you mean traitor?”
“He ordered attack on mining outpost. Is him who kidnapped Beau and the others. Not sure where he got armor and details. But is clear it was him.”
Sid stumbles a bit at the news. “How is this possible?”
“What about Bylsma?”
“Don’t know if he knows,” Geno shrugs. “Don’t think so though.”
Sid nods, his eyes dark and exhausted. Geno places a hand softly on Sid’s shoulder and squeezes slightly. Sid stops breathing and the two are frozen in their place.
“I leave you alone,” Geno mumbles as he steps away, his arm sliding down to his side.
“Geno!” Sid says for a moment before thinking about his next sentence. Geno stands towards the door, neck craned as he stares at his captain with sad, round eyes. “Thank you. For... for all of this. For saving me.”
“Yes captain,” Geno nods and disappears through the doors.
Earth 2205
“Everyone’s thinking it, just no one has the balls to say it!” A crazed man says. His show is known for ridiculous hyperbole and conspiracy theories of every variety. “I’m just going to come out and say it! It’s the Magi!”
His guest, a scientist who’d been involved in the investigation of the wreckage of Magnitogorsk scoffs at the suggestion.
“A high power we can’t even begin to understand,” the man begins listing. “Couldn’t track the attack, couldn’t see it coming, leveled a whole city, no ship in the vicinity of our space...”
“What you are suggesting is preposterous!” The scientist laughs. “The Magi of Esa-Pekka are a myth. There’s no evidence to even suggest that the planet Esa-Pekka exists anywhere in the known universe.”
“Two hundred years ago there was no evidence that life existed in the known universe, now we know better,” the man challenges.
“Listen to me,” the scientist drops any joking tone in his voice. “The Magi of Esa-Pekka are a myth, made up by the entertainment industry and propagated by shows like this. I’m not going to allow you to sully the deaths of the hundreds of thousands of victims in Magnitogorsk so that you can up your ratings with skepticism of a mythological power of unprecedented proportions.”
“Why would you even come on my show then?”
“Because I have a message for you and men like you,” the scientist sneers. “You are a disgrace to journalism and what you do undermines actual research like mine.” The man drops the disgusted anger and switches to a self-pleased tone of uppity arrogance. “Thank you for having me on your show, Mr. Potash.”
Space 2217
“Hey.”
Sutter sniffles, trying to cover the tears he’d thought he’d been shedding alone. “Um, hi,” Sutter says turning to face the voice. “Captain,” Sutter exclaims jumping up and trying to straighten his uniform.
Sid offers a sad smile and waves a dismissal hand at Sutter’s attempt at standard operating procedure when faced with an officer. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Sutter wipes his arm across his face. “Why not? We made it on the ship.”
“Morrow,” Sid says, not allowing Sutter to hide from what he’d said before. “You two were close.”
Sutter’s eyes are wide and already filling with tears again. Silently he nods, the movement dislodging a few tears. Sid steps towards him and pulls the younger man into a tight embrace, removing Sutter’s barricade and freeing his emotions. He breaks down sobbing on Sid’s shoulder.
Sid holds him silently for a long while, rubbing his hand on Sutter’s gray uniform. After Sutter manages to control himself he pulls back from Sid and sniffles, “I’m sorry sir.”
“Don’t be,” Sid replies quietly. “I’ll give you all the time you need to make this decision, but I want to offer you a choice: one, we drop you off at a planet and the USS Saariaho search crew picks you up or two, join us and right this wrong.”
Sutter looks shocked at the offer. “Join you,” he says surely. “We were always with you.”
“In that case,” Sid says, allowing a bit of a smile to show now that he has a new officer. “You’re going to need a black uniform.”
“Captain on the bridge,” Kunitz announces as Sid steps through the doors, still adorned in his Icarus Fleet uniform. Everyone wears the colors of the USS Nelson, in an unspoken desire to rejoin their fleet someday.
“Where to Captain?” Brooks asks, a small but proud smile evident in his expression.
“Well... we have Icarus Fleet on our tails, a universe hardly explored, and no one’s orders to follow. I have an idea,” Sid says. “Let’s mix it up a bit...”
To be continued...