Roweyna cursed as she stood in front of the soldier near her and grabbed the grenade. With a hard tug she pulled the grenade free but the pin stayed on the snap link. Roweyna let the spoon slip free. The soldier realized too late what she was doing and yelled "Grenade" as she tossed it behind him and at Shafer and a group of the ComStar soldiers.
Roweyna grabbed the Soldiers vest at the shoulders, kneed him hard in the groin and pulled him over her as she pulled them both down to the deck. There was a deafening explosion and she felt the soldier slam into her as they slid across the deck.
Roweyna tried to get out from under the dazed Soldier, but he recovered too quickly. He pinned her down as he looked over his shoulder and saw his injured comrades. "You bitch." He yelled as she put his weight on her and balled his fist to punch her face.
Roweyna saw the first blow coming and managed to get her left arm up to deflect some of the force, but he quickly straddled her and sat on her chest as he raised his hands to rain down blows on her. She put her hand under his chin and tried to push him off, but he was too big and strong. As she tried to free her right hand she felt the cold hard handle of a knife. Without thinking she pulled it from its sheath drove it hard into his armpit. Her attack cost her a punch in the face, but as the Solider tried to bring his left arm down it was stopped by the knife's hilt, and he drove it further into his heart and lung. The soldier let out a sick wet cry as he tried to reach for the knife, but his armor prevented him from reaching it.
He tried to use his left hand to extract it but Roweyna reached it first, "Please, allow me." She cruelly wiggled and twisted the blade as she pulled it out. Blood gushed from the wound as Roweyna worked the knife free. The soldier must have been in shock or knew that he was dying because he didn't resist as she pushed him off. He didn't struggle as she rolled him over, pulled his laser pistol from its holster and got to her feet.
The aerobay was in complete disorder. The mercenaries were crouched behind stacks of mech and aerospace armor they had strategically placed. A couple of the ComStar soldiers had fallen back to the bay's entrance and were keeping up a steady rate of fire so the other Soldiers could retreat.
Henry had one of the ComStar engineers in a half-headlock and was using him as a human shield as he tried to move away from the ECM suite. Lucas and the other male engineer were dead on the floor. One of the Soldiers was dragging his friend who had been severely wounded by the grenade and three other soldiers were protecting Demi Precentor Myers as they tried to get her out of the aerobay. Shafer fired blindly as she ran for the door.
Demi-Precentor Tempes stood over Smythe's dead body. His cane had concealed a sword that was now out and the tip of it was buried in Smythe's neck. Tempes had Smythe's arm out-stretched and painfully hyper extended. He stood tall as he carefully pried the detonator out of the dead man's hand while making sure not to trigger it.
Roweyna aimed the laser pistol as she walked and demanded, "Give that here."
He gave her a sideways glance as he continued to work. She pulled the trigger and felt the safety prevent her from fully pulling the trigger. Tempes smirked knowing exactly what had just happened. Roweyna fumbled with the pistol for a moment, found the safety and disabled it.
Tempes turned to look at her as the safety made a loud audible click. Roweyna stopped a few paces from the Demi-precentor as she raised the weapon, "Don't make me repeat myself." All firing seemed to stop and Roweyna could feel all eyes on her and Tempes.
Tempes let go of Smythe's arm as he held up detonator. "Now, now, shouldn't you be concerned I might drop this? I'm actually curious if this is truly armed." He looked around the room and considered the fact no one had shot him as evidence he was indeed working with live explosives. "I fundamentally hate you all, but I have to give you credit for the inventiveness you find to manage to survive." He glanced over at Anastasia, "You especially."
"I'll not ask again." Roweyna said.
With one fluid move Tempes pulled the sword cane from Smythe's neck, took a step forward, and rested the sword on her shoulder. Roweyna knew the blade was directed at her neck. "I suggest you don't." Tempes said ominously. Roweyna kept the laser pistol aimed at his heart.
"Stop this." Myers said as she strode toward Rowyena and Tempes. She was still flanked by soldiers. "You're going to get us all killed."
"Demi-Precentor Myers, We'll have this situation under control shortly." Tempes said as he and Roweyna continued to stare each other down.
"The Veil of Light bridge is reporting an Excalibur class drop ship shadowing us just outside of weapons range. I want that ECM device installed before we engage them, and certainly before we begin the process of recharging the K-F drive." As Myers spoke Roweyna noted a tinge of anger or fear in her voice.
"That would be my father." Roweyna said, "Ye have his property, employees, and daughter. Short of returning them I'm not sure how yer going to discourage him from bird dogin' ye while vectoring St. Ives or AFFS or, quite frankly, any available aerospace force on to yer warship."
"That would be foolish." Tempes said "We have a warship."
"We do, but my orders" Myers gave Tempes a suspicious look, "insisted I take only a minimal crew, and get you to this system as quickly as possible. We don't have a complete crew, or a fighter wing, and the majority of our weapons are missiles and autocannons. If anyone chooses to play the odds…"
"Oh for a warship, ye can bet every successor state will play the odds." Roweyna goaded.
"…They could wear us down quickly. We're stuck here for a damn week, that a long time for several states to marshall their forces."
"My offer still stands." Roweyna said, "Ye let us go, keep yer ECM system, we leave the system, and we never breathe a word of any of this as long as ye don't weaponize the MRB." Roweyna offered.
"You know entirely too much to be allowed to live. Now that I have this," Tempes held up the detonator, "you have nothing to negotiate with. Lay down your weapons and surrender."
"If yer tellin' me we're going to die no matter what." Roweyna nodded at the laser pistol. "My mercenaries and I will make a grand last stand and manually trigger those explosives."
Henry held up a maxi grenade as the engineer he had been using for a human shield slumped to the deck. "Say the word mum."
"Stop this." Myers demanded, "You have my word you will not be harmed."
"Your word?" Tempes asked.
"I am captain of this jump, ah warship, and my authority is supreme." Myers said to Tempes then turned to Roweyna, "I swear by Blake's name that I will personally ensure none of you come to any additional harm."
Roweyna could feel Tempes slightly adjust the sword on her shoulder and she wondered for a moment if he wasn't about to strike down Myers. Smoothly he took the blade off of her shoulder and took a step back so he was between both woman. He lowered his sword so that the blade's tip pointed down and barely rested on the deck. Roweyna understood he could easily strike either her or Myers with almost no warning.
"You should re-examine your orders Demi-Percentor, as you will find that I have the final authority for this operation." Tempes said.
"I'm starting to suspect those orders were a forgery, and once we return I intend to report all of this to our superiors." Myers replied.
Roweyna could sense the change in Tempes posture. Myers was one step, or more precisely one word, from a lethal sword slash. She noticed several red dots on Tempes chest.
"Demi Precentor Tempes." Hap said loudly and clearly, "We'll lay down our weapons when you and your men do the same." Roweyna could see Hap and Anastasia standing behind the armor sheets and had their weapons trained on Tempes. Mags was sitting on the deck and had her back to the shipping container brig. Joker was putting a bandage on her shoulder, but Mags had a Needler pistol pointed at Tempes.
Tempes raised a questioning eyebrow, "I still hold this." He held up the detonator. "If you're desire is to die-"
"Like Roweyna said, if you're telling us we're going to die one way or another, I assure you we all die together." Hap said.
That's unnecessary." Myers said. "Ms. McFinnigan, Roweyena was it? I want you to contact your father and tell him to dock with our warship. We will guarantee your safety but he and his crew will have to promise to not report our position or assist anyone with locating us."
"I don't recommend that." Tempes cautioned.
"I want the ECM suite installed as soon as possible." Myers said, "Where are my engineers?"
"Didn't survive the fire fight." Henry replied gesturing to the yellow clad corpses near him. He was kneeling next to Lucas's body trying to do what he could for his deceased crewmember.
Myers looked mortified, "how are we going to get the ECM mounted and online now?
Tempes sighed, "These were your only engineers?"
"We have an acolyte, but she doesn't exactly inspire confidence." Myers said.
Tempes turned to Anastasia "I assume you can get this system hooked up."
"It's highly likely, but I would need the assistance of someone who can read Russian or Chinese. However, why would I?
"Because if you don't, I'm going to murder every member of this Mercenary company." Tempes said.
"I don't believe I should enable your warship to jump into a system, destroy vessels and defense platforms without detection and then move to a location where it can't be found to recharge and thereby move into another system and repeat the process."
"Do you think I'm joking when I tell you I will kill every member of this crew?" Tempes nearly shouted.
"I think you're going to kill us no matter what. Therefore-"
"When I'm done executing these mercenaries in front of you, I'm going to take this vessel back to our base. I'll find techs that can get the ECM connected to the ship, and then I will take you to Hazelhurst and make you watch as I nuke it from orbit. After I've turned everything you love about your homeworld into ash and craters I will maroon you on the surface so you can die a slow painful death of starvation and radiation poisoning among the surviving people you condemned to death."
Anastasia's shoulders slumped as she holstered her laser pistol, "I can't allow that either."
Myers gave Tempes a horrified look, "Blake's will is that we reunite mankind into a civilized society that achieves greatness through cooperation, the preservation of knowledge, and the pursuit of peace. I won't allow this either." Myers looked at Anastasia, "Child, trust me as I assure you that your work will only be used for peaceful purposes that further the greater good and brotherhood mankind."
Anastasia kept her eyes on Tempes, "forgive me if I'm skeptical. "
Myers cleared her throat, "I certainly don't want to diminish your free will, but we have little time. Ms. McFinnigan you will contact your father and have your mercenaries disarm these explosives. Young lady, Anastasia was it? I have an acolyte that can read Russian…she is an engineer and will assist you. I want this device online as soon as possible. Tempes, sheath your sword."
Tempes remained unmoved, "How do you think this will end? We just give these mercenaries a ride to another system and send them on their way and alls well that ends well?"
"No. The Explorer Corps has discovered several Star League era sites out beyond the Draconis Combine. There has been some discussion about how to use and protect these sites and I think I can advocate for a very long term garrison contract."
"I doubt father is going to agree to being abandoned on some barren rock out beyond the periphery."
"Your father should know his options are quite limited." Myers said reproachfully. "Get your people to work." Myers turned to Tempes again, "Demi-Precentor Tempes, put that weapon away."
"It's hard when I'm still holding this." He held up the detonator.
"If you're going to complain about it, you shouldn't have insisted on keeping it." Anastasia said.
Tempes looked incensed and stared at her coldly. After a moment he glanced around the bay, "Shafer, come here and make yourself useful."