Darkness was descending as Tyr returned to the cave, his arms full of
kindling for the fire. But at the scene that greeted his entrance, he
dropped the wood and drew his weapon.
The rebel that had escaped earlier from Tyr stood by the prone Dylan, his boot pressed to Hunt's neck and his gun targeting the injured man's skull.
Tyr snarled, "Kill him and there won't be enough of your genetic material to bury!" His weapon was steadily aimed at the rebel's heart even as he saw Dylan's futile efforts to dislodge the boot from his throat.
But the rebel responded with the laugh that Tyr had come to hate. "Still protecting a corpse, I see. That would be admirable if it weren't so pathetic."
Suddenly rebels entered the cave behind Tyr with weapons drawn. But Tyr didn't tear his eyes away from Dylan and the rebel assassin.
"This corpse worth dying for Nietzschean?" the rebel drawled as he looked down at the helpless Hunt.
"Tyr," Hunt rasped "drop your weapon," and the two men's eyes met.
But Tyr made no move to do as he was ordered. Instead, he focused again on the rebel. "We can help you defeat the invaders."
A smirk pulled onto the rebel's face. "Fight them? Hell, we paved their way here."
"Why?" Hunt incredulously asked.
Leaning over and applying yet more pressure to Dylan's neck, the rebel answered, "The Calains, the invaders, don't enslave humans. We will have our freedom under their rule. Would your Commonwealth have given us our freedom?" he sneered.
Dylan met the rebel's eyes and spoke the truth. "No. Your planet would never agree to that."
"No," repeated the rebel. "And you are too desperate to form your Commonwealth to worry about petty things like tyranny, torture and murder."
Dylan flinched at the words but made no effort to defend himself or the Commonwealth. Morality and politics sometimes could not coexist, even for a good cause.
It was Tyr who broke the silence with a snort, "Calains may not have human slaves but you will be so far down on the food chain that you'll dream about the "luxuries" you enjoyed as a slave."
A familiar voice entered the debate. "It's not a perfect solution," Senator Fina said as he emerged from deeper in the cave and stood behind the rebel leader, "but they are choosing the lesser of two evils."
Tyr shot a look to Dylan. This was a development neither man expected.
"Fina, you support the rebels? Aided this invasion against your own people?" Dylan demanded. "Why?"
The Senator looked at the helpless captain. "Unlike you, I can not abide tyranny, even when it is perpetrated by my own people."
"No, instead you practice murder and instigate war," Tyr chided.
The feathered Senator trilled in annoyance, "A moral lecture coming from a Nietzschean, how affecting?" Settling his look on the rebel leader he ordered, "Brauno, kill Captain Hunt and his loyal Nietzschean."
But Tyr shouted, "You kill Hunt and the Andromeda will annihilate Randamal and Calain!"
Brauno, the rebel leader smiled, "Nice try but we've sent the Andromeda on a little mission. By the time she returns, Randamal will be conquered and Hunt's death will be laid to the Randamal senators' tally of murder victims. The Andromeda will then support the new Calain government."
Fina joined in, "Yes, I will gladly tell the Andromeda that her Captain was murdered by key members of the Randamal counsel. And I will hand over Senator Kabul to the captain's crew for their retribution."
This did not invoke the reaction from Tyr that the senator predicted. Tyr laughed, heartily.
"I had no idea you were so naïve Senator." Instantly Tyr's good humor turned deadly. "I've already sent a message to the Andromeda. They know the Randamals' treachery and that Hunt and I are hiding from the invaders. The Andromeda will know whose hands are covered in Hunt's blood."
But now it was Fina who chuckled, "The Andromeda runs on diplomacy, Nietzschean. They will investigate, will gladly accept Kabul as guilty, and process his punishment with all the weak power this new Commonwealth clutches."
Tyr's cold eyes met Fina's. "You underestimate the Andromeda's loyalty to Hunt. Diplomacy?!" he scoffed before his voice dropped low and deadly. "Their retribution will not cease until all parties attributing to their captain's death are wiped from existence. Do you know how easily that ship can turn your planet into an asteroid field?!"
"I sense that a bargain can be reached, at least between us," a male voice spoke from behind Tyr.
All the cave occupants turned to watch a humanoid man covered in brown short fur stride into the fray.
Tyr eyed the Calain male wearily. Calains had little tolerance for any other species, especially humans and Nietzscheans. Bargaining with a Calain was like selling your soul.for nothing.
Fina fluttered forward to greet the new 'guest." "Pranar, you have arrived early for our meeting."
The Calian, Pranar, looked to the Randamal Senator with barely contained contempt, "Yes, well, the invasion is ahead of schedule." He turned deadly feline eyes unto Fina, "You never mentioned that your planet was hosting the famous Captain Dylan Hunt."
Quickly, Fina reassured, "He is of no consequence! He and his Nietzschean officer are about to die right now."
But Pranar angrily bellowed, "You should have told me Hunt was here! Yes, he must die but what of his ship, the Andromeda Ascendent?!" The Calain looked directly at Tyr, "Now about our bargain? Do you wish to live Nietzschean? If so, you will aid us in destroying the Andromeda."
For the first time, Tyr lowered his weapon. "I am willing to "bargain" for my life."
Pranar looked to the silent but observant Hunt then back to Tyr. "And what of Hunt's life? Do you have any objections to his death?"
"None," Tyr coldly replied, meeting the Calain's feline eyes unflinchingly.
With quick, cat like reflexes, the Pranar drew his weapon and unleashed a shot to Dylan's head. But the shot zinged into the ground an inch above Dylan's head. Furious, Pranar glared at Tyr, who still grasped the Calain's shooting arm.
Tyr lowly growled, "I have no objections to his death after he gets us aboard the Andromeda."
Shrugging our of Tyr's hold, Pranar snarled, "You believe Hunt will aid us in destroying his ship??!"
Tyr smiled like a hungry wolf. "The only "aid" we need from him is a pulse flowing through his veins."
Dawning entered Pranar's eyes, "Ah, yes, the Andromeda's sensors can identify Hunt and know his health readings on an approaching ship."
"With myself at the helm and Hunt's living presence on board, the Andromeda will allow any type of ship to come aboard," Tyr outlined. "We can easily block her sensors to any other "passengers" this ship may carry."
Smiling, Pranar extended his fur covered hand and Tyr completed the handshake. "You've got yourself a bargain, Nietzschean."
But Fina trilled, "No! This Nietzschean is trying to spare Hunt's life!"
The Calain smiled at Fina. "There's that element to consider but let me reassure you," here Pradar rested his eyes on Tyr, "when it comes down to his survival or his captain's, our Nietzschean will choose his own survival." Then turning fully to Anasazi, Pradar warned, "Let's be very clear. Your Captain Hunt will die. There is no bargaining for his life. And the successful completion of our bargain is the only way you will live. I think I can trust you to do the right thing..for yourself."
TBC
The rebel that had escaped earlier from Tyr stood by the prone Dylan, his boot pressed to Hunt's neck and his gun targeting the injured man's skull.
Tyr snarled, "Kill him and there won't be enough of your genetic material to bury!" His weapon was steadily aimed at the rebel's heart even as he saw Dylan's futile efforts to dislodge the boot from his throat.
But the rebel responded with the laugh that Tyr had come to hate. "Still protecting a corpse, I see. That would be admirable if it weren't so pathetic."
Suddenly rebels entered the cave behind Tyr with weapons drawn. But Tyr didn't tear his eyes away from Dylan and the rebel assassin.
"This corpse worth dying for Nietzschean?" the rebel drawled as he looked down at the helpless Hunt.
"Tyr," Hunt rasped "drop your weapon," and the two men's eyes met.
But Tyr made no move to do as he was ordered. Instead, he focused again on the rebel. "We can help you defeat the invaders."
A smirk pulled onto the rebel's face. "Fight them? Hell, we paved their way here."
"Why?" Hunt incredulously asked.
Leaning over and applying yet more pressure to Dylan's neck, the rebel answered, "The Calains, the invaders, don't enslave humans. We will have our freedom under their rule. Would your Commonwealth have given us our freedom?" he sneered.
Dylan met the rebel's eyes and spoke the truth. "No. Your planet would never agree to that."
"No," repeated the rebel. "And you are too desperate to form your Commonwealth to worry about petty things like tyranny, torture and murder."
Dylan flinched at the words but made no effort to defend himself or the Commonwealth. Morality and politics sometimes could not coexist, even for a good cause.
It was Tyr who broke the silence with a snort, "Calains may not have human slaves but you will be so far down on the food chain that you'll dream about the "luxuries" you enjoyed as a slave."
A familiar voice entered the debate. "It's not a perfect solution," Senator Fina said as he emerged from deeper in the cave and stood behind the rebel leader, "but they are choosing the lesser of two evils."
Tyr shot a look to Dylan. This was a development neither man expected.
"Fina, you support the rebels? Aided this invasion against your own people?" Dylan demanded. "Why?"
The Senator looked at the helpless captain. "Unlike you, I can not abide tyranny, even when it is perpetrated by my own people."
"No, instead you practice murder and instigate war," Tyr chided.
The feathered Senator trilled in annoyance, "A moral lecture coming from a Nietzschean, how affecting?" Settling his look on the rebel leader he ordered, "Brauno, kill Captain Hunt and his loyal Nietzschean."
But Tyr shouted, "You kill Hunt and the Andromeda will annihilate Randamal and Calain!"
Brauno, the rebel leader smiled, "Nice try but we've sent the Andromeda on a little mission. By the time she returns, Randamal will be conquered and Hunt's death will be laid to the Randamal senators' tally of murder victims. The Andromeda will then support the new Calain government."
Fina joined in, "Yes, I will gladly tell the Andromeda that her Captain was murdered by key members of the Randamal counsel. And I will hand over Senator Kabul to the captain's crew for their retribution."
This did not invoke the reaction from Tyr that the senator predicted. Tyr laughed, heartily.
"I had no idea you were so naïve Senator." Instantly Tyr's good humor turned deadly. "I've already sent a message to the Andromeda. They know the Randamals' treachery and that Hunt and I are hiding from the invaders. The Andromeda will know whose hands are covered in Hunt's blood."
But now it was Fina who chuckled, "The Andromeda runs on diplomacy, Nietzschean. They will investigate, will gladly accept Kabul as guilty, and process his punishment with all the weak power this new Commonwealth clutches."
Tyr's cold eyes met Fina's. "You underestimate the Andromeda's loyalty to Hunt. Diplomacy?!" he scoffed before his voice dropped low and deadly. "Their retribution will not cease until all parties attributing to their captain's death are wiped from existence. Do you know how easily that ship can turn your planet into an asteroid field?!"
"I sense that a bargain can be reached, at least between us," a male voice spoke from behind Tyr.
All the cave occupants turned to watch a humanoid man covered in brown short fur stride into the fray.
Tyr eyed the Calain male wearily. Calains had little tolerance for any other species, especially humans and Nietzscheans. Bargaining with a Calain was like selling your soul.for nothing.
Fina fluttered forward to greet the new 'guest." "Pranar, you have arrived early for our meeting."
The Calian, Pranar, looked to the Randamal Senator with barely contained contempt, "Yes, well, the invasion is ahead of schedule." He turned deadly feline eyes unto Fina, "You never mentioned that your planet was hosting the famous Captain Dylan Hunt."
Quickly, Fina reassured, "He is of no consequence! He and his Nietzschean officer are about to die right now."
But Pranar angrily bellowed, "You should have told me Hunt was here! Yes, he must die but what of his ship, the Andromeda Ascendent?!" The Calain looked directly at Tyr, "Now about our bargain? Do you wish to live Nietzschean? If so, you will aid us in destroying the Andromeda."
For the first time, Tyr lowered his weapon. "I am willing to "bargain" for my life."
Pranar looked to the silent but observant Hunt then back to Tyr. "And what of Hunt's life? Do you have any objections to his death?"
"None," Tyr coldly replied, meeting the Calain's feline eyes unflinchingly.
With quick, cat like reflexes, the Pranar drew his weapon and unleashed a shot to Dylan's head. But the shot zinged into the ground an inch above Dylan's head. Furious, Pranar glared at Tyr, who still grasped the Calain's shooting arm.
Tyr lowly growled, "I have no objections to his death after he gets us aboard the Andromeda."
Shrugging our of Tyr's hold, Pranar snarled, "You believe Hunt will aid us in destroying his ship??!"
Tyr smiled like a hungry wolf. "The only "aid" we need from him is a pulse flowing through his veins."
Dawning entered Pranar's eyes, "Ah, yes, the Andromeda's sensors can identify Hunt and know his health readings on an approaching ship."
"With myself at the helm and Hunt's living presence on board, the Andromeda will allow any type of ship to come aboard," Tyr outlined. "We can easily block her sensors to any other "passengers" this ship may carry."
Smiling, Pranar extended his fur covered hand and Tyr completed the handshake. "You've got yourself a bargain, Nietzschean."
But Fina trilled, "No! This Nietzschean is trying to spare Hunt's life!"
The Calain smiled at Fina. "There's that element to consider but let me reassure you," here Pradar rested his eyes on Tyr, "when it comes down to his survival or his captain's, our Nietzschean will choose his own survival." Then turning fully to Anasazi, Pradar warned, "Let's be very clear. Your Captain Hunt will die. There is no bargaining for his life. And the successful completion of our bargain is the only way you will live. I think I can trust you to do the right thing..for yourself."
TBC