Blood Impulse

Part 22.3 - SURROUNDED

Wilkerson Sector, Battleship Singularity

"Well, sir, we're belly-up and completely surrounded, great plan." Zarrey couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice. At least the civvies got away. The last of them had jumped just a moment ago.

"All nine ships have a targeting lock, sir." Montgomery Gaffigan added from his post. "Their weapons are hot."

But they haven't fired yet, the Admiral observed. That was enough of an indication that he'd been right. Command wanted to negotiate his surrender. For better or worse, they wanted him alive.

And he had every intention of using that against them.

"I've identified the lead ship." Galhino said, pulling the files, "It's the Palindrome, sir. Mylar-class. Admiral Hauser is the ranking officer."

Hauser. Unlike Tyler, Hauser was a decent tactician, one of more stable mind. His command, the Mylar-class Palindrome was twice the size of any of the Keeper-class ships and considerably more capable. It and its two sister ships presented a notable threat.

"Incoming hail from the Palindrome, sir," Lieutenant Robinson announced. "It's on a secure line, isolated from the other ships."

"Put it up," the Admiral ordered.

A worried man appeared on the view screen, wrinkles folding the skin around his eyes. He locked his attention immediately on Admiral Gives. "Don't do this. For the sake of the stars, Admiral, don't." If they engaged here, there'd be untold casualties. "Listen to me, there are soldiers, ships under Command that want to fight. They know the Erans aren't right. They know Reeter's way isn't the only way." There were other, better ways to push humanity forward.

"There are those of us who want peace, but we need someone to rally behind. A name with some weight." Things were desperate with the Erans' coup, but it wasn't over yet. "Those people have served with you. Hell, Palindrome and I followed you straight into the meatgrinder that was Helflugas. You towed us back out in one piece. I owe you my life, Admiral. There are dozens of ships, thousands of personnel that feel the same way." Admiral Gives was not compassionate by any means, but he'd run the fleet with a fair and steady hand. That had earned the respect of many throughout his career, people who were willing to overlook the underlying oddities of his personal command.

"Give us time to regroup," Hauser pleaded, "We don't have to let Reeter take power."

"You suggest a counter-coup?" This sounded nothing like the Admiral Hauser he'd once known. Hauser had been a good soldier. He never questioned or looked beyond his immediate orders. Well-trained, but excellent in no particular regard, he'd been a respectable sailor. He'd been reliable, but not the kind to lead an insurrection.

"Yes," Hauser said, "Surrender now. Buy us time. All we need is a few days to regroup." They could gather their reinforcements. "The Erans will drag you in, but your ship and crew won't be harmed. I'll look after them myself. I know the Singularity is more of an asset to us than anyone would believe."

"Is that so?" An asset? Not so much. A proven threat? Absolutely.

"Admiral, your ship happens to be the only ship in the fleet that isn't directly tethered to Command. She's the only one that can operate with complete independence." Command had remote takeover codes and fail safes for every other ship in the fleet, including Palindrome, and those codes were now in Reeter's filthy hands.