Chapter 2. Scythe


    "Capt. Graccus, there is incoming coms. from Senator Galba."


    "Put him through."


    "Greetings Lucian."


    "Greetings Galba."


    "Aenides can you feed vision to Galba."


    "What am I looking at Lucian?"


    "A memorial ceremony for Capt. Loomis being held in the ship''s landing bay."


    "Shouldn''t you be down there with them?"


    "I wasn''t invited."


    Galba smiled. "How awkward."


    "Apparently there is some lingering ill feeling amongst the crew about how


    I treated their former Captain, prior to his unexpected and untimely death."


    Galba shook his head. "Leadership can be such a thankless task."


    The ship''s engineer finished his eulogy and asked if anyone else would like


    to speak. A young medical officer stepped forward, but before she had a


    chance to talk, warning lights in the landing bay began to flash.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "It could just be a glitch ." the engineer said. "I''ll go and check."


    The medic looked around nervously and was about to continue when she


    was interrupted by the sound of alarm sirens.


    "Evacuate the bay." the Engineer yelled. " Aenides, code Red."


    Galba laughed as he watched the crew run to the elevators, only to find


    them disabled and locked. "Look at them scurrying about like rats."


    The crew spread out searching for entry doors to the lower levels and


    found them locked as well.


    "Aenides, code Red." the Engineer yelled. "Respond."


    "I can not." Aenides said over the ship''s speakers. "Capt. Graccus


    has overwritten my protocols."


    The outer pressure doors of the landing bay started to open.


    The air inside hissed and groaned as it started to empty into the


    vacuum of space.


    "You''re killing us, you bastard."


    Lucian nodded in agreement. "Yes I am."


    "Aenides."


    "Yes Capt.Graccus."


    "Prepare a shuttle for me."


    *


    As Lucian steered the shuttle clear of the ship, Aenides confirmed the


    co-ordinates Galba had sent him. "There is nothing there except empty


    space Capt. Graccus"


    Lucian re-checked the shuttle''s control settings. There was enough fuel to


    make it out and back with a good margin if something wasn''t right.


    "Stand down Aenides, and go dark until I return."


    *


    Fifty kilometres before reaching the coordinate position, Lucian slowed


    the shuttle, then came to a complete stop two kilometres out.


    The navigational system still showed nothing ahead. Lucian opened a


    coms channel. "And where may I ask are you Galba?"


    The shuttle''s control panel indicated the ship was being externally scanned.


    Galba''s face appeared on the screen. "Patience dear brother."


    "I still have no idea where you are."


    "There is a good reason for that." Galba said.


    A glowing orb appeared before the shuttle. It split into three points of light


    that began to spin in a flat circular pattern. Lucian recognised it as a gateway.


    "Come through slowly." Galba said.


    The gateway closed as soon as Lucian steered the shuttle through it.


    Lucian''s shuttle now floated alongside a modified battle cruiser.


    He nodded his head in appreciation - the Aenides was now nothing more


    than a decoy that could be manoeuvred remotely. What was surprising


    was how much fire power Galba in secret brought in behind her.


    A tractor beam locked onto the shuttle and drew it towards the ship.


    *