Hell's Hoplites - Book 1 - Thebes - 10 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9 -

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Kawamura Industries Registered Vessel New Edo

August 30th 2535 AD - 00:00 GMT

Edgar Rice sat at his desk aboard the New Edo and read over the communiqué that he had received from the director of security at the Olympus Mons Museum. Four men matching the descriptions of Jack Sikorsky, Samuel Zion, Ren Satokawa, and Fuji Satokawa as well as a young woman in a wheelchair were seen entering the museum on the 22nd at 09:00 hours and the receptionist had not seen them leave but there had been a couple of times when she’d had to leave the front lobby and it had been assumed the group had left during one of those periods.

Later that day the night guard had been assaulted by three men one of which was carrying a young girl, another of which had a wheel chair with an Asian gentlemen in it; that was at around 17:30 after that no one had seen them since.

“If they are on Mars and they have those files they may head back to Haven,” Rice mused aloud.

“What was that sir?” Pendleman who was sitting across the table from him asked.

“Nothing. Raquel contact the Musashi and Tendo and have them meet us here,” Rice ordered her and then when she had left he swiveled his chair to face the large armored port in the hull of the vessel.

What are you looking for Sikorsky, if it’s proof of who killed your parents and aunt you should have found that out in the files you stole, Rice thought to himself. “Or are you looking for something else? He mused.

Sol System - Mars

20+ Miles Outside San Kapolla

August 30th 2535 AD - 00:00 GMT

Bright light pierced Jack’s eyes even through his closed lids and he let out a groan of pain from them. In the background he heard a quiet voice murmuring something. Letting out another mixed groan of tiredness and pain he sat up and realized he was laying on one of the sick berths in the Hoplite II’s medical bay.

“Ah, I see you are finally awake Jack,” Oz said and a pair of automated skeletal arms popped from a recess above the birth and unfolded. One arm fluffed his pillow while the other depressed the bed control to one side raising the back of the bed up so that Jack wouldn’t have to support his body with only his own strength.

“What am I doing in Med Bay Oz?” Jack asked the AI.

“Well you collapsed shortly after Ren’s funeral and Fuji and Samuel brought you here; at the time you were almost comatose, running a high fever, and your shoulder blade had been pretty much pulverized.”

“Wait…,” Jack said flexing the shoulder that had been pretty much destroyed and not feeling any pain. “Then why do I have a perfectly functioning shoulder now?” He asked.

“That is the most amazing thing,” Oz paused. “Let me get the others here that way I’ll only have to explain it once,” he told Jack.

“Alright,” Jack said waving an arm. “Turn the damn lights down though,” he grumped.

“Certainly I apologize,” Oz said and the light level dropped by at least 25%.

“Thanks,” Jack said slumping back against the bed.

“Not a problem,” the AI replied.

“Thank god you’re alright,” Fuji said letting a breath out as he came into sick bay. “When you were unconscious for so long we became worried that you might not pull out of it all,” he said worry creases easing from his forehead.

“For so long?” Jack said with a puzzled look.

“I take it Oz didn’t inform you to the fact that you were out for most of a week,” Samuel said with a snort.

“No he didn’t,” Jack said giving the camera in one corner of the room a glare.

“You didn’t ask,” the AI said with a sniff.

“Okay now that everyone is here, Oz, what exactly did you need to tell us,” Jack said.

“Ah yes getting back to your speedy recovery, it is quite amazing I must say and I never expected to see something so advanced,” the AI started to ramble.

“OZ!” Jack, Fuji, and Samuel said in unison.

“Oh yes, my, excuse me, I do tend to ramble a bit,” Oz said.

“Oz, do you know what a plasma torch would do to your core,” Jack threatened.

“Sorry, we’ll start with these two images here then,” Oz said turning on a plasma screen on the far wall of the med bay.

“So it’s a couple of DNA helixes although one does look kind of funny,” Samuel said.

“Funny doesn’t begin to describe it, Samuel,” Oz said with a sniff.

“Oz,” Fuji growled threateningly.

“Yes, as you may or may not know a standard human’s DNA strand is what is called a double helix,” the picture of the normal DNA strand was highlighted on the plasma screen. “Now this one,” Oz said highlighting the irregular DNA chain, “Has a quadruple Helix. The helix itself also has enzymes and RNA chains for the enhancement of strength, speed, stamina, and dexterity as well as regeneration and life elongation,” Oz explained.

“So you’re comparing the scan of Taki’s DNA helix to a normal humans,” Samuel said frowning.

“No actually both of these chains came from the same person and it wasn’t Taki,” Oz told them.

“Then who’s DNA helixes are they?” Jack asked a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“They are your’s Jack,” Oz told the room stunning them to silence.

“Wait, wait, wait, I realize I’m not as smart as Ren was about this stuff but how the hell can a person have two different DNA Helixes?” Fuji asked confused.

“Well the easy way I can explain and the most logical reason would be that when Jack was a child he was found by his parents and some cloaking mechanism in his DNA chain mimicked their’s and cloaked his own,” Ox explained.

“You mean my parents aren’t really my parents,” Jack said sickly.

“I’m afraid not Jack. I’m not really sure of the circumstances behind this whole thing, maybe if we could find some of your mother’s personal belongings she may have a journal explaining the whole thing,” Oz suggested.

Jack had a sick expression on his face, and Samuel saw that look. “Fuji why don’t you go check and make sure Steve isn’t getting into any trouble,” Samuel suggested. After Fuji left the Med Bay Samuel turned to the camera in one corner. “Oz can Jack and I be alone please,” he pretty much ordered the AI.

“Certainly Samuel,” and the light winked off above the camera.

Samuel sat in the chair next to the berth and lit a cigarette and handed it to Jack and then lit another for himself. “Look how long have we been friends?” He asked.

“Thirty some years,” Jack said taking a long draft on the cigarette; ashing in the trash can he then replaced it to dangle from one corner of his mouth.

“Doesn’t seem that long,” Samuel said with a snort.

“No it doesn’t,” Jack said quietly rubbing a hand across his chin making a light scratching noise as it passed over the weeks worth of stubble there.

“I knew your mom pretty good, hell I practically lived at your house most of the time,” Samuel said taking a drag from his cigarette. “You remember when we first met?” He asked.

“Yeah you were trying to beat up Masters for his lunch money,” Jack replied.

“Yeah, I’d never had my ass kicked so hard in my life,” Samuel said squinting through the smoke from his cigarette. “Jack what I’m trying to say is that even if you weren’t her natural born son your mother loved you a lot and did everything in her power to make sure you were happy and able to do what you wanted, and still raise you the proper way, hell I know she’s probably the only reason I didn’t end up in jail myself,” Samuel said with a shrug.

Samuel paused to grind his cigarette out on the edge of the trash can and then dropped it in. “What I’m trying to tell you Jack is be grateful you had a loving caring mother, and aunt, don’t think they betrayed you just because they didn’t tell you something, they loved you and you loved; love them,” he finished.

“Wow have you been watching soap operas again,” Jack said cracking a thin smile.

“Why you bastard,” Samuel said taking a swipe at Jack’s head with a fist.

“Hey, hey I’m convalescing here, you can’t just try and beat me up,” Jack protested.

“Wuss,” Samuel grumbled.

Jack game him the finger.

“There is one thing Oz didn’t explain,” Jack mentioned.

“What,” Samuel said puzzled.

“How the hell my shoulder blade is back in one piece, remember it was pulverized, crushed, destroyed, ruined,” Jack said.

“Oh shit, you’re right,” Samuel said and looked at the camera. “Alright Oz we know you’re peeking so just come all the way back online,” Samuel ordered.

“I most certainly was not peeking,” Oz said indignantly.

“Want to explain the whole shoulder blade thing?” Jack asked ignoring the AI’s tone.

“Well we’ll use some more show and tell as it were,” Oz said and two sets of MRI’s and x-rays appeared on the plasma screen. “Now notice these two here on the left, as you can see the shoulder blade is pretty much pulverized is I believe how you put it,” Oz said. “Well a normal human would basically need a synthetic replacement and probably wouldn’t gain full use of the arm back and would most likely have low grade pain in humid and cold conditions, for the rest of their lives,” Oz explained.

Both Jack and Samuel made come on conditions.

“Well as I was saying, this set of images on the right were taken just a few hours ago and as you can see the shoulder blade is once again completely intact and there isn’t even the slightest swelling of the tissue around the area,” He told them.

“Also if you notice these spots around the joints you’ll see that there is now some sort of cybernetic reinforcement in place,” the AI said highlighting the areas.

“Like what Taki has,” Jack said.

“Yes, very similar but your’s are more strengthened, the bones have been laced with a ceramic composite to make them stronger and there is some sort of fibrious material now running through your muscles,” more highlighting

“Yeah but how did his shoulder blade rebuild itself?” Samuel asked.

“Nannites, I’m assuming Jack has never been injured this seriously before?” Oz asked.

“No, not really I mean I’ve been shot and stabbed and even blown up a couple of times but I’ve never had a bone pulverized into tiny shards before,” Jack said.

“My theory is with the severity of the injury some hidden program activated the nannites that had been slowly accumulating in your body of the years and multiplying and they went to work fixing the damage and performing these upgrades, it is probably why your DNA unmasked itself at this time,” Oz explained.

“Oh joy, so what the hell?” Jack asked noncommittally.

“Oh and you should be…,” Oz started to say just as Jack’s stomach let out a huge growl that almost echoed around the med bay.

“…Getting extremely hungry by this point,” The AI said. “I went ahead and told Fuji to have the auto-chef prepare some food and bring it to you, with all the bodily resources that the nannites used in a short period of time you’ll probably have to eat quite a bit over the next few days to make up for it,” Oz explained.

Jack’s stomach growled again and he grabbed at his stomach. “Ack, that actually was kind of painful,” he said through gritted teeth.

“I would imagine,” Oz stated.

A few minutes later Fuji came in with a tray over flowing with food. “Wasn’t sure what you would want,” he said shrugging. “So I just programmed the Auto-Chef to make enough food for four people,” Fuji explained.

“Thanks Fuji,” Jack said and dug into the food polishing it off in the span of time that would have made most competition eaters proud.

“Looks like someone wishes to see you,” Oz said as the door slip open.

“Father,” Taki said rushing to the room, jumping onto the bed, and hugging Jack fiercely.

“Whoa, whoa,” Jack said thinking it was a good thing Fuji had taken the tray away a few minutes earlier. The girl was now actually crying as she hugged Jack.

“She’s been wanting in here for the past few days,” Patricia explained as she walked into the room behind the girl. He saw that she had finally changed out of her receptionists dress and was wearing a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt her revolver holstered at the hip.

“How long has she been awake and why in the world is she calling me Father?” Jack asked spitting out a strand of the girl’s hair that had fallen in his mouth.

“She woke up shortly after you went comatose,” Samuel explained.

“Yeah and she kept demanding to see her father,” Fuji interrupted. “We tried to explain to her that her father was most likely long dead,” he continued.

“Yeah, but when Oz switched a video feed on of you in Med-Bay so we could all keep on eye on you, she went nuts and kept saying, she needed to see you and called you father,” Samuel said giving Fuji an annoyed look at the interruption.

“The only thing Oz can come up with is that you look remarkably like her father and that the two of you are actually related, although we tried to explain this to her and she just insists that you are her father,” Patricia said.

“I guess I can play along,” Jack said and gently took Taki by the shoulders. “Taki, it’s okay, I’m here for you,” he told the girl.

“Oh father it’s been so long and I’ve missed you, I waited and waited like you said to but when I woke up the first time I was confused and couldn’t understand anything,” Taki said still crying slightly.

“It’s alright Taki,” Jack said hugging the girl. “Why don’t you go with Patricia now and she’ll get you something to eat and then some sleep,” Jack said gently shifting the girl around to where Patricia could take a hold of her and lead her out of the room.

“Any clue what she was talking about Oz?” Jack asked after the two women had left.

“The only thing I can posit is that Kawamura did an improper revival and left her with gaps in her memory and the inability to function properly, maybe even a deep state of autism as a consequence,” Oz told them.

“That’s all well and nice,” Samuel grunted out. “But what do we do now?” He asked.

“Oz where is Rice’s ship the New Edo currently docked?” Jack asked.

“The New Edo is currently docked at Haven and hasn’t left there since they returned from attacking the pirate base,” Oz answered.

“Alright, I guess we are headed back to Haven then,” Jack said.

“Good time for some payback on someone other than some low level peon security guard,” Samuel growled and Fuji nodded in agreement.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Kawamura Industries Registered Vessel - New Edo

September 7th 2535 AD - 09:18 GMT

Colonel Sandra Pendlman walked through the door of the New Edo’s conference room and as she had suspected Rice was there already waiting for her.

“I take it Sikorsky and his remaining compatriots have arrived?” Rice asked.

“Yes sir, or at least we believe it is them,” Pendlman handed the E-PADD she had been carrying to Rice.

“The Hoplite II, not very original of them,” Rice murmured with a small smile.

“What they lack in imagination they more than make up for in destructive capability, the vessel they are currently using is a Halberd-Class frigate,” Pendlman told him.

Rice gave her a sharp look. “You said a Halberd-Class, I thought all of those were scrapped,” he said more than asked.

“So did I sir, I had the research department do some diggings, it appears that the pirate base that you destroyed was a former GP research and development base and someone was doing some illegal production there. The pace was shut down about twenty to thirty years ago and they must have just left the vessel mothballed there and forgot about it,” Pendlman explained.

“Good job,” Rice told her. “Any sign of the Di’Espinoza woman yet?” He asked.

“We may have a lead,” Pendlman told him and motioned for him to continue on to the next page.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Privately Registered Vessel - Hoplite II

September 7th 2535 AD - 09:15 GMT

“Patricia stay with Taki please, and keep an eye on Steve he’s been pretty quiet for a while, he may be up to something,” Jack told the former federal agent.

“Sure not a problem,” Patricia said nodding.

“Please don’t go father,” Taki pleaded her eyes wet with unshed tears.

“Sweetie your father has to go take care of something and he’ll be back real soon,” Patricia explained to the girl and steered her out of the airlock.

“How long are you going to let that girl think you’re her father?” Fuji asked Jack.

“I’ve tried getting her to understand that I’m not her father,” Jack explained in frustration after the girl had left. “You can even ask Samuel,” he said nodding to the other former marine.

“Yeah, she doesn’t want to believe that Jack isn’t her father,” Samuel said.

“We need to doe something to convince her you’re not her father,” Fuji insisted.

“Patricia and Oz have already started trying to get that fact through to her,” Jack explained.

“Fuji don’t worry we’ll get her head wrapped around the fact that I’m not her father soon enough for now we have other things to take care of,” Jack continued.

“Alright, it just doesn’t seem right is all,” Fuji said making a face as if he had tasted something bad.

“I agree totally but the girl has been in stasis for over 10,000 years and she was woken improperly the first time so she’s probably having trouble tracking,” Jack told him.

“Where are we going to start at?” Samuel asked.

“Well let’s start with the Marriott where we searched those pirate’s rooms,” Jack said.

The three of them pretty much rode in silence to the Marriott and checked in quickly getting one of the large suites usually reserved for dignitaries.

“Why don’t you guys go on up to the room,” Jack said. “I’m going to grab us a bottle of something from the bar,” he said heading in that direction.

“Cool, we’ll see you in the room,” Fuji said lugging one of the heavy duffel bags they had loaded into the SUV earlier.

Jack entered the bar off the main lobby of the Marriott and ordered a bottle of Jose Cuervo Gold and while he was waiting he looked around. Just about to turn his head back towards the bar he saw movement at the rear exit to the small space and the back of a woman leave the bar; she was dressed in a gray spider-silk suit, leather jacket, and knee high boots, long red hair flowing about behind her.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t little Miss Hermanez,” Jack whispered and started towards the door.

“Sir, I have your bottle here,” the bartender said holding the bottle of tequila up.

“Send it to Suite 8C,” Jack threw back over his shoulder.

“Yes Sir,” The Bartender said.

The woman was completely through the exit before Jack reached the door, pushing his way through Jack saw her head down an access alley that led to the Mariott’s rear parking lot. Before reaching the end she pulled out a cigarette and tucked it between her lips and then pulled a zippo from her jacket pocket and puffed it to life.

Jack quietly made his way through the alley using every bit of his Marine and Sniper training to stealthily approach the figure; which pretty much amounted to not hitting trash cans or kicking empty bottles of booze; as such he was able to successfully approach her but when he pulled the FN pistol from his shoulder holster it made the barest whisper against nylon and the woman swiveled with a gun in her hand.

Jack found a .357 Magnum Glock under his chin and the woman found a 5.7mm FN pistol aimed steadily at the center of her forehead, they stood frozen in that tableau for several minutes until Jack cleared his throat. “I should have known from the description but the long hair threw me off,” he told her. “Going by Sarissa Hermanez these days are we?” He asked Suzanne.

“You haven’t exactly been running around using your real name Mr. James Simarron,” the red haired woman said smirking at him.

“Well when someone wants you dead you don’t exactly advertise the fact that your still alive,” Jack said holstering his FN.

Sarissa hesitated for a few seconds and jammed the Glock back under her leather jacket. “So what is exactly are you going to do?” She asked.

Jack shoved her forcefully back against the wall and then crushed her lips in a kiss that would have been bruisingly painful to most people and when he pulled free both were breathing heavily.

“There’s a dumpster further down the alley,” Suzanne suggested.

“Dumpster right,” Jack said pulling her quickly down the alley and behind the dumpster.

Thankfully the alleyway wasn’t really used that much since most customer’s opted to use the rear lobby entrance to reach the parking lot.

Jack pulled Suzanne behind the dumpster and quickly unbelted his pants letting them and his underwear fall around his ankles and watched eagerly as Suzanne unzipped her Spider-Silk suit starting at the collar and running the zipper all the way down and to the back and pushed it down over her hips the two of them came together in a melding of hot flesh and lust as well as remembered and lost love.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Mariott Suite 8C

September 7th 2535 AD - 11:30 GMT

Fuji and Samuel were waiting in the Suite for Jack to return and both had already had several shots from the bottle of Jose Cuervo. A normal person would have probably been a slight bit tipsy but both were still stone cold sober when the password knock came at the door and Samuel waved Fuji behind the couch facing the door. Moving over and standing next to the door out of direct line of it Samuel drew the huge Wildey pistol holding it ready for use.

“What’s the password,” Samuel murmured through the door just loud enough for someone directly on the other side to hear.

“You’re mother is a whore,” Jack said.

“Probably,” Samuel said back and unbolted the door letting Jack and a red headed woman into the room; both Samuel and Fuji immediately pointed their weapons at the woman.

“My is that a big gun in your hand or are you just happy to see me Gunny Zion,” Suzanne Di’Espinoza asked batting her eyes at him.

“1st Sergeant,” Zion said in surprise.

“Well not anymore,” Suzanne said winking at him.

“1st Sergeant,” Fuji echoed. “You can’t tell me that is Suzanne Di’Espinoza,” he said incredulously.

“One in the same Fuji, where’s your brother?” Suzanne asked.

Fuji’s face fell at the mention of his brother and he wandered off into the room he was using as a bedroom.

“I have to go do something,” Samuel said sliding the Wildey into the holster under his jacket and walking quickly to the room Fuji had entered.

“I take it that wasn’t a good thing to ask,” Suzanne said surprised at the reaction.

“No, we’ve lost both Rick and Ren now,” Jack said quietly.

“Oh my god Jack what’s been happening?” She asked softly taking his hand.

Jack sighed. “Come on we’ll go in the bedroom and talk about this,” he said motioning her to follow as he entered his own room.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Mariott Suite 8C

September 7th 2535 AD - 13:37 GMT

It took Jack nearly two hours to spill out the whole tale to Suzanne and by the time it was done he was mentally and emotionally exhausted.

“So let me get this straight, you’ve lost Rick and Ren, this guy Rice has killed several hundred people, taken over Kawamura Industries, Samuel has fallen in love with a receptionist slash federal agent, the girl is now coherent but you’re not sure where to go from here, oh and you’ve been toting around some bounty head for nearly two months and having a snooty AI keep an eye on him,” Suzanne repeated equal parts of incredilousness and tartness in her voice.

“Uh yeah,” Jack said.

It took awhile for the others to get used to Suzanne’s presence and others weren’t too happy to see her at all considering she’d been working with the pirates to kidnap the girl.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Privately Registered Vessel - Hoplite II

September 10th 2535 AD - 03:18 GMT

“I don’t trust her,” Patricia said as Samuel slid first his arm and then his shoulder under her head.

“Who?” Samuel asked distractedly as he lit couple of cigarettes and handed one to Patricia.

“That Sarissa, or Suzanne, or whoever she is,” Patricia reminded him with exasperation. “Who did you think I meant Taki?” She asked annoyance in her voice.

“The 1st Sergeant is on the level, she’s never played us wrong,” Samuel said defensively.

“Plus she’s your leader’s girlfriend,” Patricia said tapping a finger against her cigarette to knock the ash into a tray on the nightstand.

“What the Sergeant Major and 1st Sergeant do on their free time is totally up to them,” Samuel said with finality.

“Well I still don’t trust her,” Patricia said. “Isn’t she the one that sent those pirates to kill you at that restaurant?” Patricia asked pushing the subject.

“She said that she didn’t know it was us,” Samuel explained.

“Whatever,” Patricia said stubbing out her cigarette butt in the nightstand ashtray.

“I can also think of better things to do,” Samuel said rolling his head towards her and kissing her on the lips.

“Well I guess I could consider that a better thing to do,” Patricia said her voice muffled as they slid the comforter over their heads.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Privately Registered Vessel - Hoplite II

September 10th 2535 AD - 12:27 GMT

“Jack there is a message for you,” Oz said over the intercom.

“Who’s it from?” Jack asked watching as Suzanne slipped into a clean gray spider silk cat suit then lacing up her high boots.

“It doesn’t say,” Oz told him.

“Well play it back then,” Jack said watching Suzanne’s ass through the skintight cloth.

“It’s text only Jack, I’ll download it to your E-PADD,” Oz said and a second later the E-PADD beeping confirming receipt of the message.

Leaning over to the nightstand Jack grabbed up the E-PADD and started reading the message.

Dear Mr. Sikorsky -

It has come to our attention that you have a certain teenage female in your possession we would like to discuss her disposition with you at the Grey Cloud Bistro at 15:00 station time, feel free to bring Mr.’s Satokawa and Zion.

The message didn’t have any signature and Jack had that tingly feeling that it was most likely a trap of some sort, but trap or not they knew about Taki and might have some information they could use to help her and figure out the strange twist the world had taken.

Jack sat up in bed and finished watching Suzanne get dressed. “Fuji, Samuel, and I have to go to a meeting at 15:00,” he told her. “Do you want to come along?” He asked.

Suzanne shook her head gathering her long hair up and making a loose bun and using a pair of stainless steel chopsticks to hold it in place. “No I have a couple of things I need to take care of and I also have to get the rest of my stuff moved to the ship,” she told him.

“Okay,” Jack said and Suzanne left the room giving him a blown kiss and a wink over her shoulder as she went out the door.

Jack got up and took a quick cold shower and got dressed in his usual fare of Hawaiian shirt, cargo pants, and combat boots. Checking his FN pistols he slid one into a small of the back holster and another one in a hip holster under the oversized shirt and went to find Samuel and Fuji.

Fuji was working out rigorously in the gym when Jack found him. “What’s up?” He asked as Jack entered.

“Hey we got a meet at 15:00, they may be able to give us some info on Taki and what the hell is going on with this whole Kawamura, Rice, ancient ruins thing,” Jack told Fuji.

“Alright,” Fuji said somewhat distracted as he did a somersault and pitched three knives into a target at the other end of the room.

“I’m going to go find Samuel and we’ll take the SUV to the meeting,” Jack said leaving the room.

Jack found Zion in the somewhat plush appointments of the conference room that sat along the back corridor from the bridge; he had laid a layer of thick white cardboard on the table and was stripping and cleaning every gun he could get his hands on.

“I think they were actually going to send this ship out on patrol right before they shut that station and the entire Halberd-Class project down,” Samuel said waving his hand at the array of weapons disassembled on the table.

“Judas priest, what all did you find,” Jack said eyeing the tightly packed table.

“Three dozen each M75A2 assault rifles, M111R select-fire pistols, Uzi-12 SMGs with a thousand rounds of ammunition for each gun, 120 grenades of varying types, three LAW M83A4s, six MGL Mk.20 grenade launchers and various odds and ends,” Samuel said listing off the treasure trove that he had found.

Jack let out a low whistle at the list. “I didn’t even think to check the armory,” he admitted.

“Well I was going to prep it for any equipment we purchased or captured,” Samuel said shrugging. “But then I found these and decided they probably needed cleaning after sitting in there for so many years,” he explained.

“You’re probably right, keep em loaded and handy,” Jack ordered. “Things just keep getting stranger and stranger around here,” he commented.

Jack didn’t realize how true his words were about to become.

“Oh yeah,” Jack said shaking himself. “We have some mysterious informant wanting to meet us as the Greycloud Bistro at 15:00 hours,” he told Samuel.

“I hope no one shoots at us this time,” Samuel grunted as he started reassembling the weapons.

“You and me both,” Jack said leaving the room.

Sol System - Saturn Orbit Near Titan

Haven Station - Grey Cloud Bistro

September 10th 2535 AD - 15:01 GMT

Jack, Samuel, and Fuji arrived at the Grey Cloud Bistro exactly one minute past the time they were supposed to. Jack had hoped to get there exactly on time but Samuel had needed to finish reassembling one last gun and Fuji had been acting rather lethargic and uninterested in things since his brother had died.

In the almost month and a half since they had last been there fighting for their lives the Grey Cloud had changed dramatically; the décor itself had stayed the same but it had expanded itself size wise into the two buildings on either and now boasted a fairly large crowd of customers even at that time in the afternoon.

“Business seems to be booming,” Samuel said as they came in the door and the three of them walked up to the Maitre Di.

“I’m sorry gentleman but you can’t come in without a tie,” the Maitre Di a fussy little man with an affected French accent told them.

Jack looked down at himself in Hawaiian shirt and cargo pants, then at Samuel in T-shirt and jeans and Fuji in a pair of Bermuda shorts and a rather loud yellow t-shirt that said I’m with stupid with the arrow pointing downwards.

“Uh I think a tie would kind of clash with my shirt,” Jack said trying to keep a small smile off of his lips.

“I’m sorry sir but you and your companions can not come in without a tie, especially dressed like that,” the maitre di sneered.

Jack was just about to tell Samuel to show the snotty little man the meaning of the word defenestration when the owner of the restaurant came walking up and whacked him on the back of the head.

“Anatole, watch your manners,” Salvador Geracini admonished his nephew. “These men are always welcome here, they are the only reason you have a job even,” Geracini explained.

“Hey Salvador,” Jack said shaking the owners hand.

“Jack, how are you?” Salvador asked.

“Doing good, I see the Grey Cloud is doing extremely well,” Jack said waving a hand at the three quarters full dining room.

“Well with the money you sent to fix up the place after the shoot out and the publicity that the shoot out gave us we were able to actually expand and ever since then we’ve had a full dining room,” Salvador explained. “That is the reason we had to add a maitre di to the door although I’m regretting it,” Salvador explained giving his nephew an annoyed glare.

The young man seemed to shrink in on himself.

“He also for some reason thinks he’s French, bah, French,” Salvador growled.

“It’s alright Sal,” Jack said grinning.

“So what can I do for you and your friends today?” The owner asked.

“We’re actually here to meet someone today,” Jack explained.

“Ah I think I know just the gentlemen you are talking about, they are over in one of the private dining rooms,” Salvador said leading the way.

“So how is the family Sal?” Jack asked.

“Doing very good,” Sal said as he led them up to the door leading to the private dining room and he quietly knocked.

“Yes,” a stentorian sounding voice called from beyond the door.

“Mr. Ashby your guests are here,” Salvador said through the door.

“Send them in please Mr. Geracini,” the voice ordered.

“Jack these guys make me kind of nervous, can you avoid any fighting or gunfire if necessary?” Salvador asked with a pleading look.

“Don’t worry Sal, we’ll avoid violence as much as we possibly can,” Jack assured the nervous restaurant owner.

Salvador let out a sigh of breath. “Thank you Jack,” he started to turn away, “Your usual meals then?” He questioned.

“Yeah we’ll take the usual,” Jack confirmed.

Salvador nodded and left the small hallway to place their orders.

The three of them entered the small private dining room that was tastefully decorated. The walls were painted a subdued red blush and redwood paneling ran from about waist height to the floor, beautiful rendered oils of trackless forests and quiet glades adorned the walls.

Jack got his first look at their host and practically did a double take. Sitting at the head of the table was a gentleman in a three piece brown suit who had leonine main of silver hair the only thing detracting from the look of quiet authority and assurance was the black cloak with it’s interior of bright colors showing. Two younger men almost exact opposite book ends of one another stood against the wall behind the older gentleman. They wore three piece suits as well but had to be at least forty years younger than their elder and also had the colorful cloaks on as well. One was wearing a dark gray suit and was rather tall with Nordic features and blonde hair, ice blue eyes glaring at the trio as if they had just cut the heads off of a bag full of puppies, the other was shorter with a light olive complexion, brown hair and brown eyes that looked sleepily at the three as if they were no threat.

Jack wasn’t quite sure which stare he liked less. “So exactly what information would the rainbow coalition have for us about Taki and what’s going on,” Jack whispered just loud enough for Samuel and Fuji to hear.

Fuji snorted and then started coughing as he brought a hand to his mouth.

“Sons of Merlin,” Samuel said quietly.

“Don’t start that shit again,” Jack had to restrain his voice as his aggravation peaked.

“I assure you Mr. Sikorsky, that shit as you put it is actually true,” the older gentleman told him rapping the ferrule of his cane against the floor.

Jack hadn’t seen the cane until that moment but it had a pigeon egg sized emerald resting at the top under the older man’s cupped hands.

“Excuse me,” Jack said.

“Have a seat gentleman and let me tell you a tale,” the older man smiled warmly. “Oh and feel free to order whatever you would like from the menu, I‘ll gladly cover the costs,” the man offered still smiling.

“I think we’ll pass for now; I’m in a cheeseburger kind of mood anyway,” Jack said. “And I really wouldn’t want to insult Salvador by ordering one here,” he continued.

The leonine haired gentleman made a moi of distaste at the mention of a cheeseburger. “To each his own I suppose,” he said with another small smile.

“Look Mr. Rainbow Coalition,” Jack said staring the man down. “You mind getting to the point,” he demanded.

The blonde haired book end started to move forward angrily but the older man raised a hand and flicked his fingers and the younger one retook his place against the wall.

“My name is Edmund Ashby or at least for this meeting it is anyway,” Ashby said quietly a small smile quirking his lips once again.

“And,” Jack said quirking his own lips into a thin smile.

“I suppose I could say something witty about it being time to speak of ships, and shoes, and ceiling wax,” Ashby said.

“What walruses have to say concern me not,” Jack said. “Now if you’d mind getting to the point,” he said with mounting impatience.

“Alright Mr. Sikorsky since you don’t seem to have a sense of humor in you today I shall get started,” Ashby said his face turning serious.

“Oh I have sense of humor Mr. Ashby, and right now it’s contemplating what kind of rather hilarious poises I’m going to put you and your book ends in after I kill you,” Jack said coldly.

Anger flashed in Ashby’s eyes for a second but he schooled his face back into cool calmness. “Well then let’s start at the beginning literally, the girl you have with you is a threat and you will give her to us without any problems,” Ashby ordered.

“Oh well if that’s all you want let me consult with my associates,” Jack said turning to his two friends and they bent their heads together in a whispered conversation.

Turning back to the man at the end of the table Jack smiled broadly. “Well it’s come down to a vote of three to four,” he told the older man.

The older gentleman looked confused.

“Fuji, Samuel, and myself voted to tell you to shove your cane up your ass sideways while my sense of humor voted to do it personally,” Jack said reaching for his gun to find that he couldn’t move anything but his head looking to either side he saw Samuel and Fuji struggling to move as well.

“Your decision is most disappointing as is your table manners,” the older man said standing up and placing his hands on the table and leaning towards the three friends; Jack noticed that his cane remained completely upright were he’d left it.

“I should turn you into toads or something equally squishy and disgusting but I’ve been ordered to leave you alone since at least two of you have larger roles to play in the fate of humanity during what is coming,” Ashby turned his head as the brown haired book end started whispering something to him urgently. The anger on the older man’s face was soon replaced by a small smile.

“Seems I won’t actually have to deal with you gentlemen anymore, my associate informs me that the men we sent to your ship found the girl gone as is your woman Mr. Sikorsky,” the man told him.

“Good, she probably smelled your gayness a mile off and grabbed the girl and ran,” Jack told him.

“Ah, I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough how things occurred Mr. Sikorsky,” the man took his cane and started walking towards the door. “Good day gentlemen the paralysis spell that I cast will wear off a few minutes after we’ve vacated the area,” Ashby told him pulling a hat out of nowhere and placing it on his head.

“Ashby,” Jack said turning his head as far as he was able to as the older man passed by him.

“Yes Mr. Sikorsky,” Ashby said pausing.

“You better hope I never see your fruity ass or tweedle dum and tweedle dummer ever again, because if I ever do I’m first going to feed blondie to shortie there and then shove both of them up your ass along with your cane,” Jack said deadly serious.

“Oh, how very crude, I would have expected a more eloquent dissertation from the son of Erskine Sikorsky,” Ashby said.

Jack’s only reply was but a small cold smile.

Ashby took a step back and then continued out of the dining room.

Twenty minutes after Ashby and his bodyguards or whatever they had been left Jack and the others were finally able to move. Quickly stretching they nearly bumped into Salvador as he brought a tray holding their dinners on them into the room.

“Leaving so soon?” the Greek restaurant owner asked in surprise.

“Yeah we have to, something has come up back at the ship Sal, can you wrap those up so we can take them?” Jack asked.

“I had a feeling something like this might happen,” Salvador said with a sigh and his wife came in behind him with to go boxes and they quickly transferred the food from the plates to the boxes.

“Thanks Sal, what do we owe you?” Jack asked grabbing his food.

“Nothing that Ashby guy paid for your meals,” the small man informed him.

“Thanks again Sal, I’ll see you around,” Jack said as the three of them rushed from the private dining room through the main dining area and out the door to the SUV.

Jack had the gas pedal depressed to the floor practically red lining the vehicle’s tachometer as they sped back to the ship. Once back at the docked vessel the three of them piled out with weapons drawn, the docking bay was eerily quiet and for some reason the Hoplite II was the only vessel in that bay, when they had gone to the meeting there had been half a dozen other vessels sitting in the docking cradles arrayed around the bay.

“Damn, this is down right spooky,” Fuji said.

“You think the rainbow coalition guys had anything to do with this?” Jack asked.

“Sons Of Merlin,” Samuel said matter of factly.

“Okay, okay, you were right I was wrong,” Jack said with disgust tinged with annoyance.

“It’s possible they had something to do with it, maybe some sort of compulsion spell to cause the crews of the other ships to either leave or go to different docking bays,” Samuel opined.

“Great, futuristic killer robots, pirates, a corporate mad man, a girl in stasis for 10,000 years, and now wizards,” Jack complained quietly.

“Sorcerers,” Samuel said.

“What,” Jack said.

“They prefer to be called Sorcerers,” Samuel said.

“You forgot about our weird ass prisoner and Oz,” Fuji put in.

“You guys are seriously not helping me mood,” Jack grumped as they moved cautiously up the ship’s docking gantry.

The interior of the ship was deadly silent as they entered, not even the environmental recycling ducts were on and when Jack put his hand to a vent there was no passage of air. As they traveled further and further into the ship each door they passed stood wide open, even the ones to their personal cabins and the armory.

“Good thing nobody came along before we got here,” Samuel said waving a hand at the open armory door.

“Spooky,” Fuji said.

“Stop it,” Jack growled.

“Spooky, spooky, spooky, spooky, spooky, glugh,” Fuji said gagging for a second after Jack punched him in the stomach.

“Can you restrain yourself now?” Jack asked.

“Uh-huh,” Fuji grunted out partially bent over after the unexpected blow.

They found Patricia on the floor in Taki’s cabin, some of the clothes they had bought the girl were missing.

Samuel crouched over Patricia’s prone shape and probed gently at her body, he found a nice sized bump on the back of her head, and he cautiously rolled her over and shook her gently.

“What happened?” He asked her as the woman cracked her eyes open slowly.

“Was it a bunch of guys in funky colored capes?” Fuji asked quickly.

“Capes? No, it was that bitch Di’Espinoza, I told you I didn’t trust her,” Patricia said sitting up and groaning in pain as she did so.

“What happened Patricia?” Jack asked severely.

“I was talking with Suzanne in the mess and she came with me to give Taki her dinner, she let me go through the door first and then you woke me up,” Patricia explained.

“Dammit,” Jack said slamming his fist into the bulkhead hard enough to cause it to bleed, what he didn’t show on his face however was the fact that he was sick with heartbreak from the betrayal.

“Any clue where she might have gone?” Fuji asked.

“Nearest Kawamura facility is Io where they were originally taking Taki, so my best guess would she’s heading there to hand her over to Rice and his goons,” Samuel said.

“Io it is then,” Jack said through clenched teeth.

“Let’s get you to med bay and have Oz take a look at you,” Samuel said bending over and actually picking Patricia up.

“You don’t have to actually pick me up Samuel,” Patricia said but laid her throbbing head against his chest as he carried her down the silent corridor to med bay.

The medical bay was powerless as well when they walked in, Samuel set Patricia on one of the beds.

“Damn, the whole ship is powerless,” Jack said. “Fuji go get the power up and running, Samuel stay here with Patricia I’m going to go make sure our little guest hasn’t caused any problems during our current technical difficulties,” Jack said as he left heading for the brig.

When Jack entered the brig he found Steve laying back on the bunk in his cell staring at the ceiling and whistling quietly. “Well I’m surprised that you didn’t try to escape while the power was down,” Jack told the blonde haired man.

Steve shrugged. “Why would I, you guys have given me a place to sleep, and three meals a day, the only thing I still haven’t gotten is some orange juice,” Steve said in his oddly high pitched voice as he swung his legs off the bunk and faced the cell doors.

“You know I did a search on you and couldn’t really find anything just some classified SSPF files that stated you had killed several hundred people over the last few years,” Jack told the man.

“Yeah, I’ve done that, not too proud of it, but I couldn’t stop it from happening,” Steve said quietly.

Just as Jack was about to ask another question the power flickered on and the door to the brig slid shut. “I have things that need done,” Jack said leaving the brig and going back to the med bay.

“So what exactly happened?” Samuel asked Oz as the AI’s servo arms did a full examination of Patricia.

“Well after Taki regained her cognizance I shut down monitoring cameras in her room to give her privacy and after she must have subdued Patricia she asked me for a detailed tour of the ship, when she reached the Reflex Inductor Furnace she asked me how to shut the system down in case of an emergency,” Oz said sounding a bit embarrassed.

“And being the ever helpful AI that you are you showed her exactly how to do it,” Jack said as he walked into the med bay.

“Yes, before I could stop her she shut the whole ship’s power down and must have smuggled the girl off then,” Oz said.

“How’s Patricia?” Samuel asked.

“She’ll be fine, not even a concussion, but she’ll probably have headaches for a couple of days from that nice knot that Miss Di’Espinoza gave her,” the AI told them.

“Io it is then,” Jack said. “Oz get us underway please,” he ordered.

“Roger Jack,” Oz said and sent a communication to Haven AstroNav for docking release and least time route away from the station and towards Io.

Sol System - Somewhere Between Haven And Io

Privately Registered Vessel - Hoplite II

September 15th 2535 AD - 02:12 GMT

The Hoplite II was five days out from Haven when they were attacked.

Jack had been sleeping somewhat restlessly in his cabin when he was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor as the ship yawed at a wide degree and then righted itself.

Jack’s hand came back up over the side of he bunk and clawed for first the FN under his pillow and then the comm that sat next to it his hand crabbing along until they bumped into them, both were snatched over the side of the bed.

“Oz what the hell happened?” Jack questioned yawning in the middle of the sentence.

“I apologize Jack, but it seems that we are under attack,” Oz said calmly as the vessel pitched and rolled to avoid what Jack assumed was incoming fire.

“How many, what size, and who are they?” Jack asked snapping awake instantly.

“Three vessels, two of light cruiser range, and one of cruiser range, the vessels are squawking the IFF’s of the Kawamura registered vessels Musashi, Tendo, and New Edo.”

“So it’s Rice and his goons,” Jack growled standing up and hitting the all ship channel button.

“Attention this is your captain speaking, it appears that we are having some technical difficulties at this time in the form of missiles and rail rounds, all crew report to your stations to hand an ass whooping to our attackers please,” Jack released the intercom stud and climbed into his Skinsuit, grabbing up the helmet he dashed for the bridge and plopped himself down in the command chair and the built in console folded out and over his lap as the crash frame locked into place.

“So do we know who these assholes are?” Samuel asked as he and Patricia scrambled onto the bridge.

“What’s the matter did they interrupt a make out session?” Fuji asked as he came through the door.

“Shutup,” Samuel muttered as both he and Patricia blushed slightly.

“Hi guys is there anything I can do to help,” Steve asked after the others had locked themselves down in their consoles.

“How the hell did you get out of your cell?” Fuji spluttered.

“Oz,” Jack said drawing the AI’s name out angrily.

“I’m not sure how he got out Jack, one minute he was in the cell the next he was in the hallway headed for the bridge,” Oz said in consternation.

“Well I guess he’s out now,” Samuel said.

“Steve strap into a console before you get tossed around the bridge like a ping pong ball,” Jack ordered.

Sol System - Somewhere Between Haven & Io

Kawamura Industries Registered Vessel - New Edo

September 15th 2535 AD - 02:25 GMT

“The Musashi and Tendo have fired on the Hoplite II,” Colonel Pendlman informed Rice from her station at the tactical console.

“Any hits?” Rice asked leaning forward in his command chair and setting his cup of coffee in the holder.

“None, the vessel is managing to dodge all the attacks so far,” Pendlman told him. “Do you want us to close?” She questioned.

“No have the Musashi and Tendo close with rail weaponry and we’ll sit back and lob missiles at her,” Rice ordered.

“Sir, at this range it will take several minutes for the missiles to reach their target,” Pendlman said with a puzzled frown.

“Doesn’t matter, that ship can’t dodge missiles,” Rice said straightening in his chair and tapping some commands into the arms console. “Give me a full spread on this vector and set for proximately detonation,” he ordered.

“Sir the Musashi and Tendo are too close to the Hoplite II to use proximity detonation,” Pendlman informed him.

“I am well aware of that Colonel, now follow my orders,” Rice ordered.

“Yes Sir,” Pendlman entered the vectors and commands that Rice sent her from his small control panel.

“Launching missiles now, missiles will intercept the target in twenty-eight minutes in a ballistic trajectory,” Pendlman informed Rice.

Rice just nodded and picked his coffee back up and sipped from it.

“Sir the Hoplite II is returning fire,” one of the sensor techs informed Rice.

“Accuracy of their fire?” Rice asked.

“Very sir, they just took the Musashi out,” the tech said as the light cruiser’s light bead disappeared from the sensor screen.

“Tell the Tendo to go to full automatic fire,” Rice ordered.

“Aye, relaying to Tendo to go full automatic,” the communications tech replied.

Sol System - Somewhere Between Haven & Io

Privately Registered Vessel - Hoplite II

September 15th 2535 AD - 02:50 GMT

“Son of a bitch,” Jack snarled as he tried to bite back the curse that had just left his lips.

“We managed to take out one of the vessels, but the other has gone to full automatic fire on it’s turret and it has more and heavier ones than we do,” Oz informed the crew.

“Is there anything helpful you would like to report?” Samuel grunted as he was thrown against his crash frame.

“I’m afraid not, plus I have another batch of bad news, the vessel that is staying back has just launched a spread of two dozen nuclear tipped missiles,” Oz reported.

“We can’t dodge those,” Patricia said latching her hands on the edges of her console.

“Oz, can we jump into hyperspace?” Jack asked.

“Yes but I haven’t set any coordinates yet,” Oz informed them.

“How long to set coordinates?” Fuji asked.

“Fifteen minutes but missiles will impact in only three minutes,” Oz informed them.

“I’ll handle the missiles just be ready to jump in two and a half minutes,” Steve said quietly leaving the bridge.

“How the hell are you going to take out that many missiles by yourself?” Fuji hollered after the blonde haired man.

Steve just smiled. “I have my ways,” he told them.

Less than a minute later Oz came over the intercom. “airlock cycling open,” he reported. “Tremblor sensors on the hull detecting movement,” he added.

“Oz give me a visual on what is going on out there,” Jack hollered.

“Visual now,” Oz said and the main screen at the front of the bridge flickered and the standard map of he Sol System disappeared and showed a view of the hull near the top of the bridge.

“What the hell,” Samuel exploded as he pointed at the screen.

The screen showed Steve standing on the hull of the vessel without an environmental suit of any kind and as they watched he unbuttoned his coat and spread his arms wide as the missiles roared closer and the Hoplite II dodged and returned the fire of the Tendo, a sudden bright light enveloped Steve and shot outwards, after a few seconds the camera cut out from overload and showed a black screen.

“Uncharted jump in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,” Oz rolled the countdown out calmly. “Uncharted Jump initiating,” he informed the crew.

Everyone’s world turned upside down and then sideways with a gut churning motion and everything went black.