Chapter 22
The whirr of machinery filled the Enforcer's cramped fighter bay with a mind-numbing din as technicians busily worked on the TIE fighter suspended overhead.Lieutenant Del'Goren stood next to the bay's fuel depot, a collection of pumps and storage containers used to house fuel for the ship's fighters. With a slim pack slung over one shoulder, he leaned casually against the wall behind him, observing the workers on the catwalks overhead as they cracked open the star fighter's ion engine housing. He watched without even a hint of surprise as something sparked within the fighter's innards. The technicians stumbled back a few steps, exchanging worried glances amongst each other. Then another spark flashed, and suddenly an explosion belched forth from the TIE's engine compartment, sending the mechanics fleeing along the catwalks.
The men on the floor scattered as falling debris began to rain over the center of the bay. The men above bolted for the emergency lifts as another explosion ripped through the fighter. The burgeoning flames consumed the TIE, tearing through catwalks and girders with equal hunger.
Del'Goren calmly turned to the wall behind him and pulled the fire alarm located there. Klaxons wailed as red emergency lights began to flash. He glanced around as one of the crewmen on the floor started for the fire fighting station positioned to the rear of the bay. He called out to the man, waving for him to stop.
"There's no time!" Let the ship's countermeasures deal with it. We've got to get everyone out of here!"
The technician coughed against the cloud of soot and smoke expanding across the bay but nodded and headed for the bay blast doors, calling other to do the same as he went.
Del'Goren turned to follow, delving into his pack as he went to withdraw a silvery sphere about the size of his fist. As he trotted past the fuel depot, he lobbed it to the side where it rolled to a stop amid the various fuel pumps.
The Lieutenant picked up his pace, following the last few crewmen as they ducked through the bay blast doors. A technician on the other side punched the controls, and the heavy durasteel door ground shut behind them.
Del'Goren looked around at the panting men. "What the hell happened?" he asked, knowing the answer already.
"I don't know," said one of them, shaking his head in disbelief. "We were just about to recalibrate the ionization signatures when something sparked. I don't know what it was, but it must have set off the fuel tanks to cause an explosion that big."
Del'Goren made the pretense of swearing. "Does the bridge know about it yet?"
"I'm sure they felt the explosion."
"Well get on the commlink and tell let them know that everyone has evacuated already. The best way to put out the fire is going to be to depressurize the bay."
"Yes sir"
"You men stay here. I'm going to the bridge to find Commander Venka to see if we can sort out what happened." He then turned jogged off down the hall.
Commander Venka frowned, leaning on the bridge command chair for support as a slight shudder ran through the Enforcer's deck. "What was that?" he demanded, turning to one of the bridge crewman.
The man concentrated at his console for several moments before looking back up at Venka. "There's been an accident in the fighter bay, some kind of fire." He paused, listening intently to the commlink at his ear. "The crew has already evacuated. Lieutenant Del'Goren says the best way to put it out would be to vent the atmosphere and deprive the fire of oxygen."
"Del'Goren?"
"Yes sir, that's what they said."
"Alright, do it."
The crewman nodded and bent over his console.
The turbolift door hissed open, and Lieutenant Del'Goren stepped out into the hallway. His footfalls echoed off of the deck plating as he strode toward the door at the end of the short hallway. With the touch of a button, the door slid open and the Lieutenant stepped through.
The small circular room was occupied in the middle by a large desk console. Security cameras and other devices studded various portions of the wall, and a short corridor ran down the rear of the room to a quartet of closed cells. Del'Goren moved forward toward the security officer seated at the console, shifting the pack around to his front as he went.
The man frowned as he approached. "Lieutenant Del'Goren? What are you doing here?"
"I'd like to talk to the prisoners again,"
The other man shifted uneasily, "I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that. Commander Venka has told me to admit no one but himself."
"That's alright. I'll let myself in."
Before he could respond, Del'Goren pulled a blaster pistol from his backpack and leveled it at the guard. There was a momentary pause as the guard contemplated what to do. Then he suddenly lunged for the emergency call button on his console. Del'Goren clamped down on the trigger.
The blaster flashed, and the security guard fell forward lifelessly against the console. Del'Goren turned, blasting the security cameras along the walls as well before he circled around the console and hauled the dead man's body off of the controls that were beeping incessantly for his attention.
He examined the computer, swearing as he realized the dead man had managed to hit the alarm switch before the blaster bolt got him. He hurriedly punched in the commands to silence it, but he knew it wasn't fast enough. Swearing again, he turned and ran into the detention corridor.
He quickly found the right cell and hit the door release. Inside, Tilyer and Linia started as the door slid open, staring in disbelief at the figure standing in the doorway.
"Lieutenant Del'Goren?" Tilyer stammered, "What are you doing here?"
"You can ask questions later," Del'Goren shot back. "We've got to move. Here." He reached into his pack and tossed a blaster to Tilyer.
Linia and Tilyer exchanged looks.
"Well, are you coming or not?" He didn't wait for a response as he turned and strode back down the corridor.
With nothing else to do, Tilyer and Linia followed him into the detention foyer. Tilyer's eyes widened as he caught sight of the guard sprawled along the floor and blaster wound in his side.
"You killed him?"
"What did you expect me to do?" Del'Goren asked sarcastically as he knelt by the dead guard and slipped the side arm from his belt holster. He straightened, holding the weapon out to Linia. "You'll need this."
"Well, you didn't have to kill him," Tilyer protested weakly.
Linia balked at the weapon proffered to her. Del'Goren tossed it to her anyway, turning to scowl back at Tilyer.
"Setting everything on stun isn't going to get the job done this time. If you want out of here, you're going to have to man up and do some things you don't want to do. It's that simple. You either pull the trigger, or I leave your ass here alone to deal with Venka and the rest of his goons. You hear me?"
Tilyer nodded, swallowing hard.
"Good." He turned to go, but Linia stopped him.
"Commander Venka has to know what you're up to," she protested. "Even if we can get to an escape pod, they'll just use the tractor beam to reel us back in. How do you expect to get off the ship?"
"With this." Del'Goren took the last item out of his pack, a slim gray device with a pair of buttons on one face.
Tilyer furrowed his brow. "What is it?"
Del'Goren just gave them a grim smile and pressed the button.
