Chapter 12
Sentenced
These people don’t mess around. Kelen saw the multitude of armed guards standing behind the clear protective barrier that separated them from the airless void of space. There may not have been exactly fifty troopers awaiting their set-down, but it was damn near close.
True to her word, she set the shuttle down in the center of Bay 9, and Gaveer helped show her how to power down the engine. Once the outer hull doors were closed, the bay depressurized. Everyone got to their feet and got ready to leave the shuttle.
Fullgrath stretched, then turned to face Kyber. “Argue all you want, but we’re gonna stick to you and the others like power magnets on steel. I think if we present a show of force in protecting you guys, it’ll make the guards think twice about shooting.”
“What if they think Kyber and them are using us as shields?” Jules brought up.
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take,” Cooter said. “First things first, I think only us Terrans should be packing weapons.”
“I agree.” Kleesod handed his blaster to Sandow. “We cannot give them any reason to believe we are dangerous.”
Massapa handed his to Jules. Kelen held out a hand to take Kyber’s. He hesitated, then gave it to her. Their fingers touched, and she almost shuddered. That familiar ache returned with vengeance, sending sheets of heat sliding over her muscles and leaving her weak-kneed. Keeping her face averted, she took care to shove the blaster inside her uniform. It would not do either of them any good for her to show him how she felt at the moment. She needed to remain calm and clear-headed, and aware of everything that was about to take place in the event they needed to take action.
“Do we need to surround them?” Mellori brought up. “Keep them in the middle?”
“I think that will only make the guards believe they’re using us as shields,” Fullgrath surmised. “I think if two of us each stick with one of them, we should be all right.”
“Okay, then. Let’s disembark,” Jules remarked, and took a stand next to Massapa.
Fullgrath and Mellori braced Kleesod, and together exited the shuttle first. Sandow and Cooter hooked up with Gaveer. Dox joined Jules next to Massapa, leaving Kelen and Kyber to themselves.
A small decontamination bubble was erected and attached to their hatch. Two at a time, they entered the structure to undergo a quick sterilization. The guards were surrounding the shuttle as they exited and gathered to wait for everyone to finish being sanitized. Easily noticeable was the fact that all weapons were trained on them.
Fullgrath stopped at the bottom of the ramp to wait for someone of significance to approach. It didn’t take long. A man wearing a colonel insignia strode forward. Both Fullgrath and Mellori saluted, even though the man was not their military superior.
Kiss ass every time you can, Kelen mentally noted. She and Kyber stood at the rear, observing every reaction. She couldn’t help but notice he was keeping his hands away from her for appearance’s sake. There was no way of knowing how the guards would react to seeing him with his hand to her back, as he preferred to do. Or worse, around her shoulders.
The colonel returned the salute. “I’m Colonel Pfeiffer. I’m in command of this outpost. Which of you is Lieutenant Fullgrath?” His eyes roved over everyone in view. Kelen recognized the voice of authority they’d heard over the comm link.
Fullgrath took a half step forward. “I am, sir.”
“Are you armed?” The man minced no words.
“We are.”
“Hand them over.” No please. No nice request. Any hesitation would have disastrous consequences.
Everyone removed their blasters, passing them down to a nearby guard who confiscated them. The colonel eyed them again, and Kelen could tell he was acutely aware of their dirty and ragged appearance.
“You said the Seneecians were in shackles. I don’t see any restraints.”
Fullgrath gave a slight shake of his head. “You asked if they were our prisoners, which they are. Nothing was said about having them in restraints.”
“They must be placed in restraints,” Colonel Pfeiffer ordered and gestured to someone on the side.
Fullgrath began to protest. “That won’t be necessary.”
But Mellori quickly intervened. “Hold off.” The engineer turned to Kleesod. “If it will help to calm their fears, would you mind being in restraints?”
Kleesod turned around to check with Kyber. At Kyber’s nod, he gave Mellori the go-ahead.
Another guard stepped forward with shackles. Kelen noticed Kyber and the others didn’t say anything or make any moves that could be interpreted as threatening. She also saw the colonel staring at the emblems on each Seneecian’s upper chest. Pfeiffer’s eyes widened slightly and he gave Kyber a hard stare.
“Done, sir,” the guard announced when he was finished. Pfeiffer gave them a final scrutiny and crooked a finger in their direction.
“Come with me.” Pivoting on his heel, he left the landing bay. The others followed in single file. Kelen took position behind Kyber, and several guards brought up their rear.
Because all of them wouldn’t fit in one, they had to take two elevator cars to another part of the station. Along the way, people stopped to stare at the imposing Seneecians. In spite of their restraints, they walked confidently with their heads up.
Walking behind her husband, Kelen allowed herself the opportunity to study his body. It was evident by the way he held himself and by his stride that he’d been healed of the wounds he’d suffered on the planet. He was also back in his dark red uniform, and looked very much the way he had when the Terrans and Seneecians had first encountered each other soon after crashing.
Despite her silence, Kyber must have sensed her scrutiny and glanced back at her. She threw him a quick smile, which he didn’t return. The omission slightly stung, but she shook it off. They had to be very careful not to divulge any information that could be construed the wrong way.
Eventually, they arrived at a small auditorium. On the short stage, a table had been set up, along with several chairs. Kelen and the others were led to the two rows of seats directly in front of the stage as several officers entered from a side door and sat in the chairs. At the same time, two rows of guards sat behind them, and more took a stance around the room’s perimeter, every weapon at-ready.
Pfeiffer sat at the table in the center chair. He rapped the surface with his knuckles and the room grew silent. Checking around the auditorium, he cleared his throat.
“This meeting will come to order. I have called this hearing for two reasons.” The man’s gaze dropped to those seated in front of the stage. “Lieutenant Fullgrath, please stand.”
Fullgrath got to his feet and clasped his hands in front of him.
“You said you are currently the highest ranking officer, is that correct?”
“Actually, Colonel Pfeiffer, all of us survivors, with the exception of Second Lieutenant Dox, are lieutenants. I just happened to be the closest man to the helm when we were hailed.”
“Who is the high-ranking officer for the Seneecians?”
Kyber slowly got to his feet. At the same time, the men at the table could be seen inserting translating earbuds into their ears. Kelen bit back a smile when her husband casually remarked, “There is no need for those. We can speak Terranese.”
The astonishment on the officers’ faces was priceless. Clasping his hands together and setting them on the table before him, Pfeiffer cocked his head.
“State your name and rank.”
“I am D’har Kyber Nau Kil, formerly of the Seneecian warship Ist Umberu.”
Pfeiffer pointed at him. “Your emblem is that of a Por D’har. According to my information, that’s a rank below D’har.”
“It is. I earned my new ranking while on the planet where we crashed. I have not had the chance to change it.”
One of the officers leaned over to whisper in the colonel’s ear. Pfeiffer nodded, then made a few movements over the table’s surface. Although she couldn’t see the embedded screens in the tabletop, Kelen believed there was one in front of every officer.
“Until your new ranking is confirmed, I will refer to you a Por D’har,” Pfeiffer stated.
Kyber gave a slight nod of acceptance.
“I am letting all of you know now that prior to our sensors picking up your space craft, we received a wideband dispersal message from an unidentified Seneecian ship. Let me read it to you.
“’This is a Code Five alert. Be aware that a group of wanted criminals have escaped from Seneecian custody. They are guilty of assault, theft, murder, and treason. The group consists of four Seneecians, led by Por D’har Kyber Nau, and seven Terrans. These are dangerous felons and must be approached with extreme caution. Shoot on sight. Do not try to apprehend. Shoot on sight.’”
He clasped his hands again and looked up at them. “I guess it’s obvious that we did not shoot on sight even though we suspected you were these wanted criminals mentioned in this message. I’m letting you know that we have sent a message back along that same wideband to let whoever broadcast it know that we have located you.”
She heard the sound of finality in his voice, and cold fear began to creep into her lungs, stealing her breath. At the same time, an invisible hand slid its icy fingers around her heart and began to squeeze it. Dread, like a black blanket, settled over her as Kelen listened to the officer’s next remarks.
“What happens in these next few hours will determine whether or not we will return you to your people, or if you will face charges here. As for you, Lieutenant Fullgrath, you and your fellow crewmembers have already been tried and convicted of treason. You each have been sentenced to spend no less than forty, and no more than eighty years on Orboros. Your sentences began the moment you set foot on this outpost. We have contacted Central Command to make them aware of this situation.”
Sitting up straighter, Pfeiffer consulted the monitor on the table again, then cleared his throat. “What we will accomplish now is to get your individual testimonies on record, in order to bring this case to a satisfactory conclusion. Lieutenant Kelen Chambliss, please stand. We will begin with you.”