Chapter64
Within the walls
Melissa stood at the back of the new platoon, pretending not to notice the glares being thrown at her after receiving praise from Wynn for having killed a Jedi infiltrator. Her force senses were screaming at her that she was in danger. Slowly she shifted her hand to her back where she had stuffed her AC7 into her belt and had covered it with her newly issued jacket, her other hand unclipping her lightsaber from her belt and hiding it behind her leg.
"Recruits dismissed." A Zabrak male called from the front
Melissa stepped back three paces to clear space for herself. She gave a neutral look to the members of her platoon as they broke into their cliques. One or two shifting to orientate them in her direction.
The first attack came. Not for her, but for Terri and Juhani. The man Terri had used as a shield went for them accompanied by four others. Another two went for Dustill. The sounds of lightsabers clashing filled the air.
Wynn and the instructors paused at the door to their quarters to observe the sudden outbreak of violence. Melissa could see credits changing hands as bets were placed
Her Force senses spiked and she rolled forward. A Weeqay from the third platoon had snuck up on her. A vibroblade swinging through the air she vacated. Her hand holding the blaster came up and she fired twice. The bolts being absorbed by an energy shield. She flipped to her feet firing rapidly to exhaust the power supply to the shield. Four shots later the shield flickered and died as did the Weeqay as three bolts struck true.
She lit her lightsaber and blocked an overhead slash. Pressing her blaster into the side of her attacker she fired blind. The Rodian screeched and dropped in a burning pile as its clothing caught fire from the overheated plasma bolts. The snap-hiss of a lightsaber lighting up told her playtime was not over. She backflipped several times to make space for herself, blaster dropping from her hand as she prioritised getting space over holding onto a weapon
A miraluka male was stalking around her, the blind man sure in his steps as he stepped over the dying Rodian. Knowing she was being hunted in the force, she pumped fear out into the force. The Miraluka smiled cruelly as he approached slowly, flourishing his blade as he stalked closer.
She lowered herself and reached for her hidden knife in the boot, She threw it at him a moment after throwing a force push. The Miraluka braced against the force push, a superior smirk still on his face. The smirk died as the blade struck true, a look of surprise on his face. Dropping his lightsaber he placed both hands on the hilt of the blade stuck in his chest and tried to pull it out as his knees buckled.
A cry of rage followed and a figure slammed into her, causing Melissa to drop her lightsaber. She and her attacker grappled in close quarters. Dodging a blow had her attacker overextending and stumbling past. She got the Sullastan in a headlock and dropped to the ground taking her attacker of her feet. She tightened her grip as the Sullastan scrabbled at the arm denying her oxygen.
Melissa made eye contact with the others watching the spectacle before shifting her grip and twisting, The Sullastan went limp as her vertebrae snapped. Melissa stood up from where her attacker was lying paralysed on the floor desperately gasping. She pulled her blaster to her from where it was dropped, she kept eye contact as she pointed the blaster down and fired. The Sullastan jerked, then stilled.
She looked around the hall looking for further threats. Juhani and Terri were back to back. A pile of bodies around them. Dustill was breathing heavily two more bodies on the ground. A cry of pain rend the air. A human male staggered forward and dropped face down, two daggers stuck in his back. Lashowe stepped forward and retrieved her daggers, nonchalantly. Melissa stepped to the Miraluka and tried to retrieve her knife.
The trusty knife had partaken in its last fight as the blade snapped off at the hilt and Melissa dropped the useless hilt next to its last victim.
Clapping came from the instructors standing by their quarters door. Melissa hid a shudder as she felt their delight at the slaughter that had occurred. She got to attention as Wynn approached her.
"A good start, young one. Why did you not use your lightsaber more?" Wynn asked
"I don't have a lot of experience with one yet. Master." She answered
"Perhaps extra lessons?" Yuthara suggested
Wynn stroked his chin, thinking the suggestion over. He looked back at Melissa
"Who would you choose if given a choice?"
Melissa pondered her answer
"I assume the instructors are not available" She said after a moment
"You would be correct in your assumption." Wynn replied
"The top three students is that male, Starwind and the blonde. I have not seen the blonde use a lightsaber so I don't know if it would be worth the trouble, the male looks as uncoordinated as I am. Starwind and her companion seems competent." She finished
Yuthara cleared her throat
"I do not believe the top students should be burdened by training a novice, someone from the middle orders can gain prestige by training her." She objected
"And slow down a prodigy? Or was your assessment of the recruit wrong?" Wynn replied
"I am not. But slowing down the best will delay graduation. They should be concentrating on their own training." Yuthara countered
"Which is why the lessons will be after formal lessons." Wynn retorted
He turned to Terri and beckoned her closer
"And by coincidence they have a bed free in their room and a few spaces in first platoon as well."
Wynn turned to face Melissa
"Grow strong or die. Those are your only options now, recruit Carpenter." He said
He smiled as a fleeting expression of rage crossed her face as he called her that surname. She tried to keep her face neutral
"As you order. Master." She ground out
Terri came to a stop before them and gave Wynn a half bow
" Master." She acknowledged him
"Starwind, being Sith means that at some point you will take on an apprentice. You are being given a chance to practise early. I expect to see a massive improvement in Carpenter's skill. You will be her trainer from this point forth, also her failures are your failures. Do you understand what I mean by that?" Wynn stated coldly
Terri nodded briskly. Realising that it was not a question that needed an answer.
"It will be an honour, Master." She said, grimacing slightly, shooting Melissa a glare
"Good, and Carpenter try to get sleep at night despite your roommates romantic liaisons. Sleep deprivation will not be tolerated as an excuse." Wynn said walking away
Terri turned around and walked away.
"Come on kid, I have not got all night." She said over her shoulder
Doing their usual surveillance sweep they found the expected listening devices and added them to a pile already in a jug of water. Melissa checking the vents found a camera, the shavings from a drill was still fresh meaning it was a new addition. She twisted the lens assembly to point down the vent and climbed down from the table and chair she had been using to get access to the vent
"So what did Wynn mean with romantic liaisons?" She asked
"They found the two of us together in bed." Juhani shrugged
"Is there a reason for that or did Belya and Bas agree to open relationships?" Melissa replied, a mischievous smirk on her lips
"We needed a solid alibi after getting that message out to you." Terri said sighing
"I am guessing you disabled Jolee before doing that, otherwise he would still be preaching the code and the rules regarding attachment." Melissa stated
"First thing we did." Juhani answered
"How bad did he get that you had to pull me in despite the plan?" Melissa asked, seriously
"He could not be more Jedi if he tried. I kept waiting for them to barge in and pull us of to the torture chamber" Terri replied sighing deeply
"In other words, Buir is going to have to ride herd on him and Carth." Melissa said, dropping onto a bed
"How so?" Juhani asked
Melissa sat up and squished a pillow behind her back
"I tracked Dustill to a residential unit, inside was a woman and two kids. One baby and a three year old that has a lot of Carth's features. So unless Dustill started early the kid must be Carth's." She informed them
"Carth's wife was pregnant before Telos got glassed." Terri said musingly
"And I am guessing Wynn is using the woman and the children as another way to control young Onasi." Juhani pointed out
"Wynn is not the only one who knows of them, I had to take out four recruits that was stalking the house while he and the woman were starting the no pants dance." Melissa continued
"You followed him into the house?" Terri querried
"Thermal imaging." Melissa shook her head
"I am guessing you wound up having a face to face with him." Terri replied
Melissa nodded and shifted on the bed
" Yes, that also means I have to contact him before he goes looking for me in the cantina as previously arranged, if he does not get hold of me he will probably move them in here and then our entire mission will be blown." She said
"Anything else we need to know?" Terri asked, rubbing her forehead
"We got a message from the Claw from the Naboo relay. Situation normal." Melissa reported.
The two older women sighed in relief on hearing what was possibly the first good news they had in days. The relief quickly turned to guilt about what they had done. Melissa got from her bed and pulled them both in for a hug
"You did nothing wrong, in fact blame Bindo. I know I do. And that is what I will tell your girlfriends." She whispered.
The other two tightened their grips, not a word was said about the poorly hidden sniffles both gave. After several minutes Melissa loosened her grip
"So I am guessing we are going training now? Got to keep the master happy." She suggested
Terri wiped her watering eyes with the back of her hand
"Good idea, fair warning we are starting you on endurance first and then Shi Cho."
"So look dead tired and stumbling like an idiot." Melissa replied
"Nothing new, just your normal standard of practice."
Yuthara was starting her evening walk when she spotted her newest ally put the bounty hunter through her paces, she stopped and observed the training session. The girl looked dead on her feet, large patches of sweat adorning her uniform, the metal pole she holding was trembling in her hands
"Wrong position, take a lap" Terri called out
The girl stumbled of in a circuit of the large hall, the Cathar on her tail chivvying her on. Yuthara walked closer to Terri, amusement on her face
"Looks like you are enjoying yourself." Yuthara commented
Terri turned and gave Yuthara a half bow before pointing to where the girl was halfway around the hall
"Getting her up to speed will be quite a challenge." Terri reported
" Do not hesitate to use harsher methods to discipline and motivate her if you need to." Yuthara offered
"Thank you for the advice, Mistress." Terri replied
"Why start with Shi Cho?" Yuthara asked
"Despite all its faults, it is a good place to start with a novice. No point in starting advanced training if the basics is lacking, I am fortunate in that she does not have bad habits to unlearn." Terri said
They both sensed another presence behind them, Turning they saw Uthar Wynn was watching them all. The girl stumbled back to her starting position and lifted the pole to the ready position again. She managed a near faultless first kata before stopping, breathing deeply.
"Go clean up, we will start again in the morning. Juhani show her where to go." Terri ordered
Yuthara looked at Terri in question
"Taking it easy on her?" She asked
"No Mistress, careful not to push her beyond her endurance level and lose time by having her recover from staining herself or injure herself. I will be instructing her on basic Force technique before lights out."
Juhani led the way to the washroom, Melissa keeping up the appearance of being exhausted. Juhani leaned in
"The washroom is just like the fleet academies." She said softly
"Thanks for the warning, I survived it once I can do it again, just this time I will be showering with a weapon in hand." Melissa replied.
Terri met up with them in the room, Juhani gestured that the room was secure, having done a sweep after entering the room on returning from the washroom. Melissa was placing a table and chair back under the ventilation duct. Terri raised an eyebrow in question
"Have to meet Dustill. Going through the vents seems like the easiest way considering how much surveillance is outside." Melissa replied unscrewing the ventilation duct again
"You know they probably have motion sensors in there as well." Terri pointed out
Melissa showed her two gas grenades she had kept with her.
"Going to visit a few rooms and access their terminals, make it look like I was crawling around looking for an edge." She replied
"I am guessing you want us to find a public place to be seen when you start." Terri stated
"I suggest try and talk that Lashowe woman into an alliance, she will be ideal for an alibi and you might just find out something useful from her." Melissa suggested
"I think starting with Mekel is a good idea. Of all the recruits here, he is the only one not pushing for prestige yet he has a high standing and among the top five recruits. We need to find out why." Juhani said
"Good point. Mellie be careful." Terri said turning to face the door
Dustill grabbed for his lightsaber the moment the figure dropped from the vent, a force push had him immobilised against the wall. Looking at his attacker he noticed it was the new girl, more curiously she was not reaching for a weapon
"I am just here to tell you there is no need to go to the cantina when you get your pass to visit, you can just chat once the parade is done." She said, dropping her force push
"Why would I want to talk?" Dustill asked, angrily
"To get answers of course." She replied
"And what answers would that be?"
The girl sat down on his bed and looked up at him
"Before we get to that answer a few things first. One how often do the regular recruits get passes to go out before classes?"
"Never, I have a special dispensation from Master Wynn." Dustill reluctantly answered
"Then how did that four get out? More importantly how did they know where to find you? I am sure you would have told no one here about them." She continued
Dustill rocked back in shock on hearing this
"Now ask yourself of those who know, what would they gain from sending that four after you and your family?"
She got to her feet and easily jumped up and grabbed the vent shaft edge and pulled herself into the vent. The grill was returned in place and he could faintly hear her moving away. He looked at the lightsaber in his hands, wondering why he had not taken care of the threat she represented. Her last question was running circles in his mind. He stiffened as he came to an answer. Only two people knew of his family, Master Wynn and himself
"Now ask yourself of those who know, what would they gain from sending that four after you and your family?" The thought returned with vengeance
He sat down against the wall staring at the door to his room. His thoughts a disorganised mess. He brought his trembling hands up and gripped onto his hair.
Terri and Juhani were back in the room when she dropped back into the room. Terri moved away from the door where she had been standing guard. Melissa quickly replaced the vent hatch and moved the desk and chair back into its original position. Juhani frowned as she noticed Melissa's preoccupied expression
"Did something go wrong?" She probed
"No. I got to Dustill." Melissa said, shaking her head
"Yet something is worrying you." Juhani remarked
Melissa sat down on the chair her front against the backrest
"I have a question. If I should strap a bomb to a person after force dominating his mind and had him walking into a building to detonate it, would the force give us warning?" She asked
The older women were shocked by the scenario. Melissa looked grim as she waited for an answer. Juhan looked at Terri before speaking
"What brought this on?" She asked
"I found designs for a jacket like bomb in one of the rooms, building plans for several buildings in Dreshdea and the academy, enough components and explosives for several devices on the table in the room and a lot of references to the glory of Aljera on a datapad wrapped in a rug that was hidden in a compartment behind a bed." Melissa explained
Terri paled somewhat
"Aljera is a god worshipped on Samsero. The planet is under Republic interdiction, had been for fifty years or so." She said
"How so?" Melissa asked
"They are, how do I put this? They believe they are the only ones worthy to live in the galaxy and will happily exterminate anyone that is not part of their religion or their people." Terri continued
"I remember now, they were responsible for a series of attacks against the population centres of several core worlds." Juhani said
"Plus genocide in their sector of space and the enslavement of their female populace, though they call their slave barracoons harems." Terri spat out.
"Their force sensitive population are considered prophets of their god, though only the males are acknowledged as such." Juhani stated
"The females?" Melissa asked
"Are killed or kept as breeding stock for the prophets." Terri said with a grimace.
Melissa kept quiet as she assimilated the information. Terri sat down on her bed thinking furiously
"How many of them are in that room?" She asked
"Only one person. Why?" Melissa replied
"Then there is a cell or several cells somewhere else. No terrorist operates alone." Terri answered
"That means the interdiction is failing or has failed, this is yet another severe threat." Juhani said
"As if we did not have enough to worry about already, now this." Melissa groaned
Terri rubbed her face, before sighing deeply
"What is the recruits name, so we know who I have to kill." She said tiredly
"Why not hand him over to Wynn for prestige? The threat gets eliminated and we advance in our plans." Juhani suggested.
"A reasonable course of action." Melissa nodded
Terri stood up
"Let us get going then." She said
"I believe Melissa should go alone, she needs to catch up on prestige with us." Juhani pointed out
"We are going as protection, we can wait in the courtyard while she hands the information over. You did copy the information, right?" Terri stated
"As soon as I tied him up." Melissa replied
The guard at the entrance to the instructors rooms stepped in front of the door and raised a hand
"Recruit stop, this is a restricted area." He spoke, hand on his holstered side arm
"I have an urgent message for Master Wynn. It is in regards to a threat to the academy." Melissa replied
"Nice try recruit, now go away." The man snorted
"Very well, I will just give the information in the morning then and get a front seat to your execution." Melissa shrugged, turning around
"Stand, I will get instructor Barlor." The guard offered, panicked
"If he can get me an audience with Master Wynn, fine."
The guard stepped to a wall terminal and rapidly dailed a comlink number from the list on the terminal. Melissa was too far away to hear as the man spoke, fear radiating of him.
Minutes later a disgruntled Zabrak male made his appearance
"You had better not be wasting my time." He snarled
"There is a Samseron in this academy with a shit load of explosives." Melissa stated calmly
"Do you have proof?" Barlor demanded
Melissa handed over her datapad, the recently downloaded information on display. The Zabrak read it and thrust the datapad back
"Who is it?" Barlor demanded
"I will tell Master Wynn." Melissa replied
"Stay!" Barlor ordered, spinning around
Melissa stood waiting for ten minutes or so before Wynn made his appearance. Not saying a word he extended his hand and Melissa passed the datapad over. Wynn read it before sliding it into his pocket
"You will take me to that filth now." Wynn stated
"I will need a list of room occupants, I entered the room through the air vents. The man is most likely still unconscious and if he is not, I used Wookie class binders to tie him down." Melissa replied
"Name." Wynn snapped
"Haqim." Melissa replied
Wynn produced his own datapad and typed out several commands. A door to the side of the instructors quarters opened and a platoon of troopers stepped out.
"Follow me." Wynn ordered Melissa.
He strode off, the troopers falling in behind him with Melissa bringing up the rear, the Zabrak on her heels
The door opened and troopers entered quickly, moments later they came back with a struggling man tied to the chair, muffled gasps came through his gag. Wynn looked at Melissa and motioned her closer.
"Show me everything." He demanded
Melissa stepped into the room and pointed to the vent, she had not bothered to replace the hatch cover.
"I was in there when I looked into the room, I saw him moving his bed back into position, I was curious why he wanted to hide something yet had piles of explosives on his table." She started
"Continue." Wynn said
"I lowered myself from the vent while he was working at the table. I choked him out and checked what he was hiding." She said
She moved to the bed and pushed it roughly away revealing the hollowed out space in the wall. She took out the rug and datapad and handed over to Wynn.
"His encryption was amateurish at best, I am not an accomplished slicer but I broke it easily. When I saw what it contained I decided to secure him and bring it to your attention." Melissa reported
She looked down at the bed as something caught her attention. The rough movement had pushed the mattress from the base, the base showed signs of having been tampered with. She looked at the troopers
"Do any of you have a knive." She demanded
One trooper bent down and pulled a blade from his boot before kicking it over. Melissa took the blade and flipped the mattress of. She inserted the knife in the gap that was made in the base and ran the blade along the edge. She stopped as she found resistance. Leaving the blade in place she stood back
"Master Wynn, I believe it is best if you step from the room. I suspect the bed has been trapped." She formally stated
Wynn made no motion to leave. Instead he looked at her quissically
"Do you have enough skill to disarm the trap?" He asked
"Till I do so, I would have to say maybe." Melissa replied cautiously
"Do you not trust your skill?" Barlor demanded
"The universal truth with trap and explosive disposal is, is that there is always someone better than you. The moment you do not respect that rule, you die." Melissa replied
"Sergeant Mercer, do you concur?" Wynn asked
A trooper came to attention
"Her statement is accurate, sir." The trooper replied
Wynn stroked his chin, before nodding to Melissa
"Well recruit Carpenter, disarm the trap." He stated
Melissa nodded in acknowledgement and made her way to the toolbox standing on the table. Grabbing several tools she approached the vbase and laid down on the ground.
"Does anyone have a light?" She asked
A skittering sound came as a light was kicked closer to her. She switched the light on and shined the light along the bottom of the base.
"I see several sets of wires underneath, one leading away from the base." She reported
Following the wire she found it anchored in the wall. Taking the side cutters she cut the wire
"One trigger deactivated, moving on." She said
She carefully retrieved the knife and cut into the material that covered the side of the base and made a flap that she pulled back. She shone the light into the opening and dropped the light in surprise
"Fuck me sideways." She commented
"I assume you found something interesting." Wynn remarked dryly
"It looks like a bio weapon. Master. There are several biological warning markers on one container." Melissa replied
She cut another flap exposing the trigger wire she had touched with the knive on the first assessment.
"Wired to trigger the device should someone lift the top of the base. Disabling second trigger" She reported
She got onto her knees and slowly lifted the top of the base. Unnoticed by her Barlor and the troopers save the sergeant took several steps back. She looked into the now revealed cavity
"What do you see?" Mercer asked
"Two more possible bio canisters, linked to a central charge. Looks like a remote and manual trigger. Strike that, third trigger found, looks like a motion sensitive trigger." Melissa replied
"What is your next step?" Wynn asked
"The motion trigger is currently the biggest threat and should be removed first, though I would check Haqim first for the remote detonator or render him unconcious." Melissa answered
" Why? He is currently disabled and in no position to see what you are doing." Barlor demanded
"He can still use the force to trigger the detonator." Melissa snapped back, without looking away from the device
Mercer nodded and a trooper bashed Haqim with the stock of his rifle. As the man slumped in the chair, the trooper handed his rifle to another and produced a knive. He started cutting Haqim's clothes away, revealing that Haqim's body was covered in tattoo's. Removing Haqim's boots, he frowned on noticing that one foot was shorter than the other. Cutting the socks away revealed that the left foot had a large portion amputated, tapping the boot had the detonator sliding into view.
"Detonator secured." The trooper called out.
With bated breath Melissa worked the motion trigger loose from the assembly and stepped back with it, placing it as far away from the main device as she could. She stepped back and simply ripped the other two triggers out
"Device disarmed." She reported
Wynn gave her a smile of approval
"Well done recruit Young. You will be well rewarded." He said
"The job is not done yet, Master." She replied
"Explain." Wynn demanded
She motioned at the table with the explosives and the disarmed trap
"There is now way he carried all of this in with him when he was accepted in the Academy. Logic says there should be more of them somewhere on the planet getting him the supplies. He had plans for this and the officer academy, meaning someone was bought off for the plans or an active betrayal by someone here. The plans I saw were too elaborate to be pulled off by one person." Melissa explained
"So you propose we search everyone and the settlement." Mercer stated
"I suggest pumping that piece of shit out there with enough truth serum to have him relive and tell everything up to the moment of his birth." Melissa replied harshly
"I sense a lot of animosity." Wynn stated
"Master, I am, I was a bounty hunter and considered the lowest of scum for it. But terrorists are something bounty hunters and other criminals look down on." Melissa replied.
Wynn chuckled at that.
"Go to your room recruit, you have a busy day to get ready for." He said
Melissa bowed to him and stepped from the room. Mercer lifted a hand to stop her
"If things do not work out for you here, come see me. We can always use a competent explosive technician." He stated, nodding in respect
"Sorry Sergeant, I am not planning of failing here." Melissa replied.
Barlor stepped from the room and looked at the slumped prisoner. Melissa struggled to remain impassive as she sensed the malice the Zabrak was releasing into the force. She walked away with a straight back and resisting the urge to run away.
Morning parade saw Melissa taking her place at the rear and tail end of the platoon as they waited for the instructors to make their appearance. She stiffened as a hand grasped her neck
"You are in the wrong place, recruit." Barlor spoke in her ear.
He pushed her to the front line before pushing her in between Mekel and Lashowe. The other recruits milled and shuffled to adapt to the new line up and present a proper platoon for inspection. He chuckled at the surprise of all those gathered on the floor of the courtyard on seeing this.
"Must be a new record. You gained enough prestige in one day to put you in running for the trail." Barlor said over his shoulder as he stepped to the front
The stares she received yesterday was disconcerting, what she was receiving now tripled in intensity. She wanted to sigh as she realised there was an even larger target on her back felt as if her back was itching in anticipation of a knive being plunged into it
Malak's Quarters. The Leviathan
Malak was crushing the armrests of his chair as he was listening to his headmaster's hologram reporting in. The Pua'an male was kneeling in the hologram.
"How did you catch this infiltrator?" Malak demanded
"A new recruit was crawling around in the vents to gain information on the other recruits, she caught him hiding his prayer mat and decided to investigate closer after disabling him." Wynn answered
"An unusual approach, most would try favours and threats if not outright killing the competition." Malak stated
"She is an unusual case. Bann recruited her when she assassinated a jedi named Jolee Bindo who thought to infiltrate the Academy. She was a bounty hunter before accepting being a student." Wynn reported
"I am assuming she is force sensitive." Malak said
"She is. She is also the estranged daughter of Jedi Ashani Carpenter." Wynn continued
"That is a name I have not heard in a long time. Yet if she is that womans daughter she should be powerfull" Malak said musingly
"Yes, Master. She is powerfull but untrained, seems Carpenter tried to hide her from the old fools of the council with the man who raised her. The Jedi she killed was the one responsible forgetting the man and his biological daughter killed. I did wonder if she was a Jedi plant, but her aura is dark grey and she is too emotional to be a Jedi drone." Wynn reported
"She is your candidate for the trail then?" Malak asked
"In the next class maybe, she needs to be trained more. I have a more powerfull candidate in mind. I have her training the young Carpenter or Young as she prefers to be called." Wynn answered
Malak waved his hand to indicate he had heard enough.
"Did the infiltrator survive to tell you anything usefull?" He asked
"He did. I am sending the information as we speak, Master." Wynn replied
Wynn visibly paused
"My troops are standing by to grab his conspirators and the ones who betrayed you. I wish to turn the capture mission into a test. Dependant on your approval of course." Wynn said
"What kind of test?" Malak asked
"I am planning on letting the top five plan simultaneous raids and the one with the best plan gets to implement it" Wynn answered
The real test being to see if they have the commitment to do whatever it takes to succeed." Malak nodded
"Also a test of their ingenuity. Millitary and police tactics are not taught to them. It will be enlightening to see if they can adapt to a strange enviroment" Wynn added.
"You have my permission, proceed."
Malak pressed a button on the cracked armrest and the holocom image disappeared. He got to his feet and walked to the door that would allow him onto the bridge from his wardroom.
Karath was pacing on the walkway above the crew pit, several ensigns on their hands and knees polishing the floor with their toothbrushes. Karath deliberately walked up and down their work forcing them to start from scratch. Normally the hidden anger of those being humiliated like this would be highly amusing to Malak. Though through his rage he ignored it. Karath spun to face him
"I await your orders, Master Malak." Karath said, getting to attention
"Deploy the fleet to Samsero, Nothing will be left alive once we reach that planet." Malak demanded
"It will be done, My Lord." Karath stated
Karath looked to the navigation and communications pits to relay the orders. The lieutenants overseeing said pits were already scrambling to relay the orders or draw up the necessary navigation routes.
The holocom in Malaks quarters blinked on as it received the data from Wynn. An additional file was added and the faces and details of the top five students were being displayed. The last two was of a red haired girl and a black haired woman before the terminal disengaged and the holograms flickered out.