Chapter 31

The Battle of Elex

Part 6: The Interlude

Sometimes I wonder...the X, the Federation, the Metroids, the Space Pirates...Ridley... am I being punished? Are they my punishment? What have I done to deserve them?

Federation Carrier Salachimorpha - Recon Deck

The recon deck was now bustling a bit more than it was earlier. Several scouts and other groups had returned, and then promptly left again with new orders. Soldiers, mechanics, medics, and any other able body they could find were rotating in and out of the deck like clockwork.

Colonel Myult stood at the front of the deck, observing the battlefield with her hands clasped behind her back. It wasn't quite the vantage point she was used to, but it'd have to make due. She wasn't exactly in the position to be picky; all that mattered was turning the tides against the space pirates.

This wasn't her first rodeo, although I'd never seen her, at least at the time, ever on a saddle. She was a name I'd see on reports, on mission credentials, at award ceremonies, things like that. A workhorse, a federation woman. Someone always working in the background, clocking in and clocking out without complaint. A steady, reliable gear within the machine. Waiting, presumably, for the right time to casually stride into the spotlight.

I'm sure she hoped that spotlight would be the warm reception of her comrades, and not the flames burning inside the ship. Her ship.

"Colonel." It was Sergeant Kaiolas. Her hair was in a messy frizz from all the running around. "I've got reports from the med bay. A lot of injured, but thankfully less casualties than we anticipated."

Myult was listening, but clearly something else was on her mind. "Where did Lieutenant Kelso run off to?"

"He said he was checking in with the rescue team searching the bridge. He left to meet up with them not too long ago."

The colonel sucked her teeth. Certainly Kelso was looking for Anderson and Lennings. Although Kelso probably appreciated not having those two breathing down his neck anymore, I knew he didn't want them dead just to get that. Myult too likely wanted to see them alive, but also knew that she would stand to benefit greatly if they never made it out of the bridge.

It was grim, but nonetheless the reality of the situation. Sometimes you get to skip a few rungs, and it would be wise not to question it.

"Find Kelso and have him report back to me immediately," Myult asked of Kaiolas. The sergeant clapped her shoes together, slapping a salute firmly against her temple. And then she was off, mixing in with the rest of the bustling deck.

Just as Kaiolas set off, something caught Myult's eye. Out on the battlefield-

-several Pirate corvettes towing other pirate ships back toward the Absolute. Weavel was hard at work trying to save as many of his men as he could.

"Someone's hard at work out there," Myult said to herself. But then she cocked an eyebrow.

She could see that as the towed ships passed by the massive formation of X lingering nearby, the X was trying to reach at the ships. Several tendrils and blobs peeled from the mass, trailing and even following those ships right back over to the Absolute.

Myult tapped her communicator. "Kaiolas, it's Myult. Forget Kelso and get back in here. I have another job for you."

Over the communicator: "Yes, ma'am. Is there something wrong?" Kaiolas asked.

"Not at all. I've found a trove of treasure and I know exactly who to share it with."

Corridors of Federation Carrier Salachimorpha

Lieutenant Kelso shoved his away through the ship, gingerly avoid the wounded but otherwise on a tear hoping to reach the destroyed bridge as soon as possible.

But he found he could barely access the area at all. Medical and rescue crews hadn't just marked off the destroyed parts of the ship, but even farther beyond those, too.

"I'm sorry, sir, that's as far as you go." One of the rescue technicians stood in Kelso's way.

Kelso tried to peak past, but could barely make heads or tails of the commotion, and certainly didn't see Lennings or Anderson in there.

"The colonels on the bridge, did they make it out?" Kelso asked.

The technician looked back at his paperwork. "It'll all be in the official reports, or you might find them in the medical bay. Talk to your supervisor."

Supervisor? "I'm sorry, but I'm Lieutenant-"

The technician stood straight up, looking Kelso right in the eye. "I don't care who you are. I can't bend to every whim and need of whoever decides to waltz down here. We have people to save. You can get information like everybody else does - in the official reports, or at the med bay. Sir."

Kelso looked away. This was as far as he was going. He nodded in acceptance and turned on his heel, letting the technician get back to his work.

PING! Kelso's communicator nudged him.

"Lieutenant? It's Sergeant Kaiolas, sir."

Kelso sighed. "Sergeant."

"Did you find them?"

"No," Kelso replied. "Doesn't meant they didn't make it. But they wouldn't let me in or tell me anything when I got to the bridge. How is it at recon?"

"Myult's got a plan to retaliate. You should get back here."

"Got it. Thanks, Sergeant."

He hesitates before clicking off the transmission.

Federation Carrier Salachimorpha - Recon Deck

"Alright, listen up."

Myult had the attention of the whole deck. Nobody was fussing about now.

Kelso stepped inside, joining the remaining crew. He makes contact with Kaiolas, who is standing nearby Myult.

"In the heat of battle, you take what you can get. And when your back is against the wall, this is especially true."

Myult turned out to look through the vantage point. "Somebody is towing pirate vessels back towards the Absolute, close enough to get the X's attention. We knew the X were willing to lash out if we got too close, but now we know the X will even tail and follow entire ships as long as they get close enough initially."

Myult turned back to everyone. "We also know that there's an unidentified force attacking those pirate vessels that haven't been towed away. It's only targeting pirate ships. We don't know what it is or why it's not targeting us, but we'll take what we can get. If that thing wants to help us out, we're not going to stop it."

Murmurs travel around the deck. Relying on something that could turn on them at any moment? Everyone had to think it was risky. But it seemed Myult was the only one seeing the bigger picture here.

Myult didn't just want to survive, she wanted to win. This was her opportunity to not just save the day, but to become a hero. And this wasn't just about getting her fifteen minutes of fame - this was the biggest step she could make in advancing her career. Imagine not only taking over when comrades were falling left and right, but to swing the battle around and claim victory?

She tried to hide it, but Myult's face was flush with excitement. Her patience had paid off, and now that she had an opportunity to take the wheel, she wasn't just going to land safely. She was going to rip the asphalt right off the road and burn her own path.

"It's time to turn this battle around. We must strike before the Absolute can recharge its cannons."

Myult looked through the crowd, and found Kelso. "Captain Kelso. Up here."

A path was made for Kelso. He was an anxious as he was puzzled.

"Ma'am?" Kelso asked as he approached.

"First Lieutenant Kaiolas, on me."

And Kaiolas approached, as well. She and Kelso traded confused looks.

Myult looked back out at everyone. "If you haven't already been assigned orders, you'll be split into two groups. The first group, led by Captain Kelso and Lieutenant Kaiolas, will be heading out to launch as many of those pirate vessels back at the Absolute as possible. The closer you can send them past the X, the better. The second group will provide back-up in case that thing changes its mind and attacks us."

The murmurs died down, but still continued. "Listen up!"

And they did.

"If we can send a large group of those ships over, we might be able to get enough of the X to follow them and then attack the Absolute. Hell, we might even get that thing's attention and it'll head over to the Absolute, too."

The colonel could smell the uncertainty building up in the room.

"I'm not going to lie to any of you," said Myult. "This victory is not guaranteed. Our survival is not guaranteed. But we must take control of what we can. And I would never lead any of you into battle if I wasn't confident that you all can succeed. And you all can succeed. We've come too far to start doubting ourselves."

She spoke as though she had been leading this crew the whole time. And it truly felt like she had.

"I beat those pirates think they already have us beat. Let's prove them wrong."