Blackstar Part 2

Chapter 2: Choices


Personal Log of Captain Jerek Norem, July 29, 4822 – Earth Calendar. 02:35:13.


I've been from one end of this universe to the other, and not once have I seen a place like this. To think, right out in the middle of nowhere is a fully-functioning, thriving coalition center. Humans, Bersks, Erndesrin – you name it, it's here. No sign of any Hresk... yet.

Jessica says the people of this world – they call it Haven – hate the Hresk just as much as the Empire, if not more. When the Empire closed its borders to outsiders, the people caught outside were deprived of much-needed ships and protection. Given enough of a reason to, the Empire could be persuaded to deal with private, well-off organizations like the Hellsek Alliance – they can be quite useful when they're not raiding us – but aside from that, the Empire would have naught to do with other worlds. So that's how Haven was established. Constructed as a safe-haven against the Hresk Raiders – that's where it got its name – Haven slowly grew as a small station until it became a thriving colony, with its own defense force and government.

They are very well-established, and by the looks of their fleet, they could probably take literally anything the Hresk threw at them. Anything... possibly even that Deathstar monstrosity the Hresk are bandying about.

No word from command. Most likely they've left us for dead. I still don't understand why Jessica brought us here, but I have a feeling it was no miscalculation; mainly because she oversaw our transition to the surface. She's hiding something....

-End Log Entry



"What exactly is your angle here, Jerome?" I asked, following my former commanding officer as we made our way down the corridor. "There is no way in hell that was a mis-jump."

Jessica sighed. "Jerek, you never were good with authority, were you?"

"We're the same rank."

She shook her head. "Just because you seized control of a starship, no matter how good your intentions were, that does not immediately make you a ship captain. Right now, you are the standing captain of the cruiser Blackstar until either a more suitable candidate is found or your position is made official by high command."

"To High Com," I countered, "we're as good as dead, Jerome. You know the numbers, how many ships they've lost in the past months. Let's face reality for a moment. We are nothing to them; we're just two more casualties in a long list full of them. A starcruiser and a cruiser are easy to replace, making our value microscopic, if even existent."

A small smile that made me uneasy flitted across Jessica's lips as she looked at me. "You're starting to catch on... captain."

For a moment, her statement confused me and came across as hypocritical, but then the meaning of it slowly dawned on me... and I had just pretty much outlined it. "You couldn't mean...."

"To the Empire, we don't exist," she said as we approached the end of the corridor. "We're just two more casualties, as you said... and they won't notice if we switch sides."

My gut clenched as she said this. It was exactly as I feared.... "You can't be serious!" I exclaimed, stopping. "That's treason and you know it!"

"I am being very serious, Jerek," she said, halting as well and turning to face me. "You will be allowed to leave if you refuse the offer, though; Haven is meant as a safe-haven for all who seek it... the people here are not prisoners, and are allowed to leave whenever they wish." She raised a hand as I started to turn. "But," she continued, "do you really think you will be welcomed back as a hero, Jerek?"

That last line stopped me. "What do you mean?"

"Hear the council out," she said, ignoring the question. "Hear what they have to say, then make your decision."

"You can't order me around, Jerome," I growled. "You no longer outrank me...."

She nodded. "That is true in more ways than you know... but you no longer rank as captain of the Imperial Navy, and neither do I. I took the liberty of checking our files in the Imperial documents, and...." She shrugged. "As far as they're concerned, we never existed." She paused. "We're ghosts, Jerek. Either we can use what experience we have and put it to good use, or let it go to waste on some back-water."

I looked down, considering. "Fine," I said, looking up. "I'll hear them out... but I won't make my decision until I've seen those files for myself."

Jessica nodded and the door before us slid open. As I stepped through, I found myself in a small meeting chamber. The room had a large circular table in the center with three beings sitting at it. The rest of the room was empty of decoration. The being on the right was human, but the other two were Erndesrin. The Erndesrin were a humanoid race of aliens indigenous to the Bork System, which made me wonder what they were doing all the way out here. They resembled humans at a glance, but an educated eye knew better; their eyes were more slanted, their foreheads higher, and their fingernails were naturally sharp.

The female Erndesrin on the right nodded to me, indicating we take a seat. I warily sat down in the seat across from the human, keeping my eyes on him. The man looked up at me. "Lieutenant Jerek Norem, I presume?" I nodded. "Standing captain of the cruiser Blackstar?" I nodded again. He sighed, pulling out a short stack of papers from his lap and setting it on the table. He pushed it across to me and indicated I read it. I opened the packet and stiffened as I saw that it was a newspaper clipping... and what the headliner was.



ANOTHER WORLD DESTROYED BY THE BARBARIC HRESK.

NO IMPERIAL RESPONSE FORTHCOMING.



Following the tragedy at Bork XII, with the destruction of two Imperial vessels known as the Blackstar and the Blue Rose, Imperial forces have completely withdrawn from the outer-ring ("Jesus..." I whispered). The populaces of Paris II and Bork III have joined the liberatorial group known as the Hellsek Alliance, and there are rumors of involvement by a sub-faction known only as Haven. ("Haven had nothing to do with it," one of the Erndesin said as I came to this point. "Just a rumor to gain more publicity.")




EMPEROR ORDERS COMPLETE CLOSURE OF IMPERIAL BORDERS.

ALL OUTSIDERS FORBIDDEN AND CAST OUT.


Imperial Overlord Jares Corveck, Emperor and supreme commander of the Imperial Navy, has ordered the disbandment of all non-human militia groups and other military services. All non-humans within Imperial borders are to-



I slammed the tabloid shut and threw it aside; I had read enough. "He's gone mad!" I exclaimed. "The Erndesin have always been faithful allies of the Empire!"

The female alien nodded sadly. "Yes... but that order includes my race as well."

"Do you require any more proof, Jerek?" Jessica suddenly asked, before the councilwoman could continue. "You have seen evidence that they believe us to be dead, and are now using that as a rally-point for their war...."

"I couldn't give a damn about anti-war officials or peace lovers," I snapped. "All of us, ultimately, want peace, but it's a fantasy of wishful thinkers at this point, nothing more."

"Indeed," the human councilman consented. "But that is not our goal right now. What we need right now is more ships...."

"What for?" I interrupted. "And what's in it for me?"

"Jerek," the Erndesin female suddenly said, leaning towards me. "You recall Kessed, do you not?" I bristled at the reminder, but she continued. "The Great Eye, the Hresk Deathstar... our goal is to sabotage it."

I froze at this statement, caught completely off-guard. "You must be joking," I said. "We don't even know how the god-damn thing works!"

"You can destroy an engine without knowing how it works," Jessica pointed out. "Just throw a monkey wrench into it."

"Yeah, but that would take one helluva big monkey wrench," I countered. "We don't know where it is, either. And drawing it out into the open would be suicide."

"It is only one of our long-term goals, anyway," the human said. "What we need right now is your loyalty.... Jerek, if you join us, you would be given full status as a ship captain, a full crew compliment, and three times your salary in the Imperial Navy...."

I gave pause to that. That was quite an offer they were giving me, especially considering the average salary of an Imperial captain.... "So what?" I replied, deciding to remain skeptical for the moment. "I can get all of those in due time... why should I join you?"

The council members exchanged glances. "Four times, then," the human proposed, causing my eyes to widen, "and a full compliment of marines to seal the deal."

"Alright, you sold me," I said, crossing my arms. "But why are you willing to go to such lengths to employ me? I have barely any experience as a ship captain, and there are far more able potential shipmasters out there...."

"Actually," the woman said reluctantly, "we want that ship more than anything else. You're convenient because you have experience with it, and I can tell you would not hand it over without a fight...." I nodded in confirmation. "The Blackstar, the famous cruiser, the only ship to have made a successful jump in the middle of a battle, and well-known for its die-hard tendencies...."

I nodded again. "So you want it as an icon of this little faction, to help rally supporters... and you want me to captain her."

The male Erndesin on the left nodded and straightened in his chair. "Indeed," he said, speaking up for the first time. "So, Lieutenant Jerek Norem, do we have your support?"

I nodded. I already knew what I had planned. "Yeah, you do," I replied, getting to my feet.

The alien stood and placed something in my hand. "Very well...." He pulled his hand away, revealing a signet with two silver bars and a single star. "...Captain."

I looked down at the emblem in my hand... my new rank insignia. "Thank you...."

"You will call me sir," he responded. "My name is Admiral Drek. I am now your commanding officer from here on out." He turned and strode out of the room, leaving the four of us alone.

"Captain Norem." I turned to face the human. "You and your ship, as well as its crew, are now a part of the Haven fleet." He stood and held out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Jerek."

I nodded and shook his hand. "I'm loyal to whomever I choose to give it to... I learned that from Jessica." Captain Jerome muttered something under her breath, annoyed at the display of my new rank; I no longer had to to refer to her as ma'am, since we were of the same rank at that point. Then I paused. "I just hope I haven't made the biggest mistake of my life; I just committed an act of treason against the Empire...."

He nodded. "Yes, I know, Jerek." He paused. "I'm actually not a part of the council; I'm filling in for councilman Jess Berdis."

"Oh? Then what is your name?"

There was another pause, then a grin split his face that I recognized immediately, though I had not seen it in nearly five years.... "Jason Vorik, sir," he replied. "It'll be good to be working with you again."