&&&&&&
The Savarian recovery team came out of warp about 200 meters from Yuri's pod. The ripple effect of warp exit oscillation rocked the pod almost violently. Yuri dropped her saber; it flickered out. She expelled the capsule from her mouth as a result of the spinning, rocking motion. Within 30 seconds, a hatch on the ship's starboard opened and a salvage bot emerged, heading to her position.
They had sent their fastest battle cruiser, the Yamunesse for this mission. The commander stood from his seat and looked around the pod for any sign of the 3WA. There was none.
"Scan for any sign of other craft in the area." He ordered.
"Sir, we are the only ones here."
"We have beaten them. Hurry men - we haven't much time. Hurry."
Yuri looked at Mughi.
"They've found us!"
Yuri knew that the wave meant a large ship had just come out of warp. She gave a big sigh of relief and let Mughi go so she could prep for her rescue.
Two minutes passed.
Something wasn't right. They should have hailed her by now. They weren't following standard recovery procedure, at least as far as she could remember it. She peered out the view port as far to the left and right as she could, but couldn't see the team as the cruiser was behind her.
"Trouble Consultant Yuri to 3WA rescue - Trouble Consultant Yuri to 3WA rescue".
She tried to hail the team but got no answer. What was wrong? Unless... Unless THEY had caught up with her!
&&&&&&
Warp Exit Timer - 00:00:47
Ja-len felt his heart pounding through his ribcage. Tucked into his cockpit, checklist completed, Green Team was ready to deploy as the first wave when they came out of warp in 45 seconds. He hoped against hope that she was alright.
'Please God, let her be o.k.'
The Dirty Job V exited warp 300 meters from the escape pod's last known location. Basile was on the bridge as the monitor resumed standard tri- dimensional resolution. He gasped. The Savarians were already there. Their retrieval bot was 60 meters from the pod, its mechanical arms extended.
"Fighters deploy!" He barked.
The restraint gates were blown and Ja-len and his companions were released. In less than 30 seconds, the squadron had taken up defensive positions around the pod. Ja-len was the first to reach it and seeing the potential danger reacted instinctively.
"Get away from her!"
He ripped apart the Savarian retrieval unit in about three seconds, with 100 rounds from his 200mm Vulcan Cannon, its pieces dispersing slowly through silent space. The remainder of his squadron flanked him while they waited for their own retrieval operator, who, by procedure, would not leave the carrier until the area was secured. Ja-len positioned his fighter so that he could see into the view port.
Looking slightly the worse for wear, she was alive. He saw as she reached up and opened the comm-link.
"Trouble consultant Yuri awaiting recovery" she said a bit weakly but with a smile.
"Yuri, this is Lieutenant Ja-len of the First Recovery Green Team. Are you alright?"
"I could use some life-support boost. And I think my arm is broken."
Ja-len's heart was beating so rapidly it nearly burst through his chest. He positioned his fighter behind the pod and extended the emergency boom to the pod's female receptor. Yuri took a deep breath as power and fresh air were delivered. By this time all three teams had deployed and taken up defensive formations around the pod. Ja-len reoriented to the front of the pod. Yuri gave him the 'V' sign.
Basile hailed the Savarian commander from the bridge. The screen flickered, and a face appeared. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with a closely cropped white beard and white hair.
"I am Chief Basile of the 3WA here to reclaim our property. Stand down or we shall be forced to engage you!"
Realizing immediately that he was outgunned by the size of the 3WA retrieval force, the bearded man considered his options. The appearance of a carrier class starship also confirmed his suspicions about the pod's contents. He swallowed slowly and considered his words carefully, then replied.
"Chief Basile, I am Commander Hikaro of the Yamunesse, 2nd Savarian defense fleet. We have clear evidence that the pod contains documents belonging to and stolen from the Savarian people. Although the pod itself is the property of the 3WA, we invoke section 27.313 of the Universal Free Space Agreement that gives us the right to retrieve what belongs to us. Might I remind you, your reckless destruction of our retrieval unit is an act of aggression that will be reported. We will retrieve the pod, remove what is ours, and return what is yours to the 3WA."
Hikaro didn't wait for Basile's response. He turned and issued the command to send a second retrieval unit after the pod. He then turned back to face Basile. This was a high stakes poker match, and he could not afford to lose. The families of Hikaro and all his crew had been taken from their homes and placed in holding cells at the command of Monsuud. They could not return having failed the mission or they would witness their families' execution before their own. Hikaro thought briefly of his wife and children, and his two granddaughters, aged 12 and 7. Trained as a soldier from boyhood, he would have gladly fought to the death with honor. In this circumstance, he was backed into a corner and had no choice.
The retrieval unit was now 100 meters away and closing.
"Lieutenant, what are they doing?" Ja-len's left wing, Sirhaan asked.
"I don't know, but this one will get the same treatment as the last one if it gets any closer."
What the hell was going on? Where was the 3WA retrieval unit?
"Green Team leader to base. We have established defensive position. Please update disposition of retrieval unit. Over."
&&&&&&
Kei sat back in her seat. They had found Yuri and she was alive. Keitaro's heart was beating normally now, she could feel it. Dr. Sevahnn had given her a visual report on his condition as he had promised. Gustav had gone up to the cockpit to discuss something with the pilots. Kei put the seat into recline mode and immediately passed into a deep sleep as her exhaustion reached up to claim her.
&&&&&&
Monsuud waited as patiently as he could for the next report. She was within his grasp. They would not fail to deliver her. They would not.
&&&&&&
Basile ignored his lieutenant's request as he tried to figure out his adversary's move. Not blinking, he spoke evenly to Hikaro.
"With all due respect, Commander, this is your last chance before our forces go into attack mode. You have your orders, and, as you must understand, I have mine. I am sorry. You have forced my hand."
"No Chief Basile, it is you who have forced my hand."
Hikaro knew what he was up against, and it was useless. They were at a stalemate and time was running out for him. He revealed his trump card.
"Initiate Provision 99!" He barked at an unseen subordinate. He turned back to Basile. If this didn't work, he would never see his family alive again.
The Yamunesse oriented itself toward the pod. Its single pulse cannon began to power up.
"Chief Basile, our retrieval unit is almost at its target. If you interfere again, we will destroy the target rather than allow our property to fall into your hands. I am well aware that we stand no chance against your squadrons after that. But we are, what is your terminology? Between a rock and a hard place." He gave a slight smile at that comment.
"You have no choice. I have no choice. Either one of us succeeds or both of us fail. Instruct your forces to stand down now and allow us to complete our mission."
Basile realized at that moment what he was up against. He weighed his options. Hikaro was right. The 3WA could destroy the Yamunesse, but attacking them now was a certain death sentence for Yuri. He had to give her a fighting chance, and that meant allowing them to take her into their custody. He grimaced at the decision that was made for him.
&&&&&&
Ja-len saw the pulse cannon power up and knew immediately what it meant. He knew full well that a direct hit would kill both he and Yuri instantly, but oriented his fighter in front of the pod anyway. The retrieval unit was 20 meters away and slowing down, its arms extending.
"Green Team Leader to base. Adversary is preparing for aggressive action. Please advise. Over."
"Base to all recovery teams - stand down and retreat from your position. Over."
What?! Ja-len was certain he hadn't heard correctly.
"Green Team Leader to Base. Repeat instructions. Over."
"Base to all recovery teams - stand down and return to base. That is a direct order. Over."
Ja-len watched as the Yellow and Blue teams yielded their positions and backed away. The other Green members followed suit. The retrieval unit extended its arms and grappled the pod. Ja-len's finger trembled on the trigger of his gun.
"Hey! What's happening?" Yuri called out as she was jostled.
"Base to Green Team Leader - you have failed to acknowledge a direct order. Over."
Ja-len's mind was spinning. Yuri was here, within his grasp, and now he was going to lose her to them.
"But Chief Basile..."
"Lieutenant Ja-len, if you do not remove yourself right now, you face immediate court-martial!"
He weighed his options. He soon realized he had none. He couldn't get her from the pod to his fighter; she would freeze to death instantly. The Yamunesse would surely fire upon them before even that could happen. He pounded his helmet against the cockpit partition in frustration.
"Yuri - be brave."
He began to back his unit away, unable to stand the questioning look on her face.
Yuri yelled as she pounded the view port with her good hand.
"What are you doing!? Why are you letting them do this!?"
The retrieval unit retreated, with Yuri in tow, until it reentered the hatch of the Yamunesse. Hikaro and Basile watched on their respective monitors until the hatch closed. Hikaro remained silent for a few seconds. He then decided to take another gamble.
"Chief Basile, from your squadron's formation, you follow deployment model 17 of the great Admiral SorenVerispano of the Zengian empire, do you not?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Considered the greatest space strategist in known history, I too, have studied her methods at our academy. In chapter seven of her military opus, I believe, she outlines a strategy for optimal deployment when ones forces are outnumbered by 5 to 1. In another time - another place, I believe we would have made formidable adversaries. Goodbye Chief Basile."
Hikaro nodded slightly to Basile. The screen then went blank. Basile did not know what to make of Hikaro's last comments. He watched as the Yamunesse, with Yuri on board, turned and warped away.
&&&&&&