Phoenix drops out of FTL near Echo’s moon, where intelligence suggests Jackson and Dazhbog are waiting to rendezvous with a freighter smuggling UE weapons to the rebels. Once the sensors have a chance to take in the situation, though, it is clear the intelligence reports were a plant. Dazhbog is there, as expected. Instead of a small, lightly armed freighter, though, hangs Morrigan, another defected PK ship of the line.
“Val, up and over!” cries Reid.
At the helm console, Swan puts Phoenix into an evasive maneuver designed to rapidly put space between the UE ship and its rebel counterparts.
“Message from the rebels,” says Hanai.
“Put it up,” says Reid, the images of Captain Jackson and Captain Kester Beau resolving on the screen in front of him as the sensor officer complies.
“You are outnumbered,” says Jackson. “Deactivate your weapons, lower your shields and prepare to be boarded, or we will fire.”
“That’s not going to happen, Captain,” says Reid. “We have much to discuss, but I will not surrender this ship, and I have no intention of getting into a battle here. I came here to discuss your coming in and facing justice, Captain Jackson. I wasn’t expecting to see Captain Beau here, but the same goes for him: You have both betrayed your oaths and your uniforms. Lay down your weapons and come in peacefully. We need to end this rebellion and return to peace.”
“You have no jurisdiction here, Captain,” Jackson all but spits at the screen, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the title. “Echo has seceded from the UE government, as it has every right to under the Articles. It is you who is trespassing here. Your loyalty to a corrupt and evil system belies your pretense at being a patriot and a hero.”
“I make no claims to be a hero, Rose. I’m doing my job and upholding a lawful government I have always believed in,” says Reid.
“If the UE is what you believe in, then you can be damned along with them for all I care,” Jackson fires back.
With that, the screen goes dark.
“All hands, brace yourselves,” orders Reid. The flurry of activity on the bridge, in progress since Phoenixexited FTL, continues apace. Electronic sounds, tight voices and the low throb of the engines create an atmosphere of preparedness and efficiency.
After almost a full minute with no action on the part of the rebels, Reid requests an update from Hanai.
“There just sitting there, sir,” says the younger man. “Weapons are active and they’re clearly ready for a fight, but they’re not doing anything.”
Reid hesitates a moment. He would like, more than anything, to sidebar with his first mate, but with Nakamatsu the next after them in the chain of command, he is loath to remove both senior officers from the bridge. In the end, he decides to trust in the weapons officer’s sense of duty and honor to keep him from doing anything truly foolish and against orders.
“Jed, with me. Mister Nakamatsu, you have the bridge. Do no, I repeat, do not fire on the rebels under any circumstances. If they open fire, set an evasive course out of here and wait for me return.”
Nakamatsu is visibly irked at this order but says nothing.
In Reid’s office, Kosmenko knows his captain needs to talk, so he simply leans against a bulkhead and spreads his hands invitingly.
“Allowing Phoenix to be destroyed is out of the question,” Reid begins. “And there’s no way we can beat two ships.”
Kosmenko doesn’t so much as blink.
“With these defections and losses, the UE can’t afford to lose good ships and experienced crew. We’d be sacrificing ourselves for nothing.”
Kosmenko nods, almost imperceptibly.
“But our standing orders are to take on—and take out!—any rebel forces we come across. And we were explicitly sent here to bring in Jackson and her crew. Does that change just because Morrigan is here, too?”
More silence.
“Damn it, Jed, you know I hate when you just stand there.”
“I do know that, Captain, but you know just as well that it works. You don’t want advice. You just want to examine all the angles. You already know the answer. You don’t need me to give it to you.”
Reid sighs, exasperated. He knows his friend is right, and it irritates him to no end.
“Okay,” he continues, “I know we can’t win. I know the UE couldn’t take the loss. And I still have to believe this can be resolved peacefully. I know these people, Jed. So do you. We can’t just keep trying to blow each other out of the sky.”
“So what are you going to do?” asks Kosmenko. “We don’t have any leverage here. We’re outnumbered, and you don’t currently have nearly the same conviction and commitment Captain Jackson has.”
“A fair point,” says the captain. “I guess we hope she’s willing to see reason. If we show we’re willing to back off, leave Echo alone—for the time being, at least—maybe she will let us go.”
“That does seem to be our only shot,” Kosmenko agrees.
Back on the bridge, Reid takes back his seat from Nakatmatsu, who gloweringly returns to his weapons station, aft and starboard.
“Rahim, put me on intership.”
“You’re on, sir,” says Hanai.
“Captains Jackson and Beau,” Reid begins, “I have taken to heart your contention that Echo has lawfully seceded from the union and that we have no jurisdiction here. If you will allow us to exit undisturbed, we will take our leave of this system.”
A sharp intake of breath from his right brings up Reid’s hand to forestall any comment from his surely irate weapons officer.
“We will power down our weapons,” a gesture to Nakamatsu, making it so, “and set a course out of here. I await your reply.”
Hanai mutes the channel. A hush has fallen over the bridge. In effect, Reid has just committed insubordination at the very least—perhaps even treason—by refusing to follow the direct orders he was given before departing for Echo, and the whole crew knows it. Their reactions vary, but none is unaware of the gravity of this act and the potential consequences thereof. It’s not a true silence, what with the whirs, chirps, clicks and hums endemic to a ship in space, but it is nonetheless deafening.
It is, as it could only be, Reid who breaks it.
“Val, set a course for Mars and standby. Rahim, keep that channel open. Mister Nakamatsu, keep the shields up and standby all weapons.”
The speakers overhead crackle to life.
“Phoenix,” comes Jackson’s voice, “you are to leave this system immediately. Do not delay, do not power weapons. Be advised that either action will abrogate this agreement and we will fire on you.”
“Thank you, Captain,” says Reid. “Val, make it happen.”
And in the blink of an eye, Phoenix was on its way, the bridge a powder keg of emotions.
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