Chapter 5

Fortunately, Sheriff Thaddeus was able to convince the council to include us in that night’s meeting, we were allowed 10 minutes. When we came into the council chambers there was the usual political usual back slapping and veiled insults. the meeting was soon called to order

“Good evening ladies and Gentlemen.” The chairman started out, “Sheriff Thaddeus has asked the council to consider hiring Captain Ernst Sheridan as a military consultant. I see no need for a military consultant. But to humor the sheriff, I have scheduled Captain Sheridan to speak.”

“Captain Sheridan, why do you and the Sheriff consider it important to hire a military consultant? We have no military troops, and if we needed them, all we would need do is contact the nearest FN vessel for assistance. I’m sure that we would have whatever help needed in short order.”

Standing up and walking up to the podium, I responded. “Normally, Mr. Manager, I’m sure that the FN would respond with what they considered all appropriate speed. But and I have personally verified this, NO FN ships will respond to a call for assistance from Mosley Station for the foreseeable future.”

One of the council members spoke up, “Impossible, we are citizens of the Federation and have a right to the protection of the fleet. I can’t believe that we would be denied assistance.”

I pressed play on the recording with the Admiral. Around the room various faces paled. “I had that conversation less than 12 hours ago. The Fleet will not be coming.”

Another member spoke “So What? There isn’t anything going to happen. We’re too big. Why, I’m sure that we have more than enough weaponry to defend ourselves.”

I shook my head, “You would be wrong Ma’am. You have NO offensive weapon capabilities. What weapons you have are so outdated as to be useless and potentially dangerous to the station itself. Your defensive capabilities are limited to the security forces. And are targeted towards controlling a civilian base. They can handle a barroom brawl, but a military invasion would mow them down with hardly a notice.”

She continued on, “Again So What? There aren’t any threats out there. I haven’t heard of any invaders or so called ‘Pirates’ approaching. This all sounds like fantasy video entertainment.”

I pressed play on the next recording, a video. It showed, the demise of the pirate transmitting team. “These two were a data transmission team. They were covertly sending data to someone in space. We were able to recover their codebooks and transmission, receiving schedules. The recordings we have recovered have proven to the Sheriff and Myself that a large pirate organization has targeted Mosley for takeover. And that it will be happening in the near future.”

The council erupted in voices. Some were panicking, others were denying the facts. These people were sliding towards hysteria and I had to put a stop to it.

“AT EASE DAMMIT, “ I shouted. That silenced most of the voices. “For cripes sake, quit freaking out. We can survive this.” That seemed to stop the hysteria. Unfortunately, I was now the target of a whole lot of anger.

A rather fat man, balding and sweating demanded “Alright captain, you seem to have all the answers, what do you plan to do about this?”

“Right off the bat, I can tell you that you are not going to like what I plan on doing. The way things are right now is that you folks are defenseless. You have no gun batteries capable of anything more than ceremonial fire. You have no shields, no offensive weapons, no fighter cover beyond what is currently docked. And I can guarantee the ones that aren’t already pirates, will run the first chance they get when word gets out. You’ve got a civilian population that is currently unwilling and unable to fight. And worst of all, you don’t have the time to fix it.”

The lady doubting Thomas who had spoken earlier asked “Captain, after predicting all this doom and gloom, what do YOU plan on doing about it? That is, IF, we hire you to defend the station?”

I looked around the room. 6 of the leading money makers on Mosley Station starred back. Some had fear in their eyes, most had anger. “As I said you aren’t going to like it, the safest solution to this situation is to surrender.”

The room erupted and again I was surrounded by angry voices, demanding an explanation.

“WILL YOU PEOPLE SHUT UP!”

“Surrender is your only option, that is If you want to survive this. And to do it you need to follow my orders, without question.”

“First, we need to get as many folks off station as possible. Now some won’t want to leave and others will be unable to leave. You will need to tell them that by staying, at best, they’ll be looking forward to slavery. Forced labor or worse. Those folks that have no value to the pirates will be killed, outright. That means the sick and lame, the too young, too sick and the too old, Will be shoved out of the nearest airlock.”

“What we’ll do is take every space worthy ship there is. Top off their fuel tanks and have them run for the hills. What I mean is that they’ll run to the nearest stations and ships that will take them in. What we need to do TODAY is send out the fastest ships to all the stations and big rigs and let them know what’s happening. Then launch everybody else and hope they can make it. We need to do this by messenger. We have to assume that ALL communications are being monitored.”

“Who’s going to pay for all that fuel?” This was from the biggest fuel supplier on the station.

“Nobody sport. This is your contribution to the mutual defense. And if you want to argue about it, you can step outside.” As he stood up, I pulled up my crossbow. “The nearest airlock is out the door and to your left. Keep going and you’ll be sucking vacuum in 5 minutes.” He sat back down, anger turning his face red.

“Look folks, why are these guys coming here? They want stuff. Fuel, oxygen, water is on the top of the list. That is the silver and gold of the realm. They will TRASH this joint, to get it. But the first thing on their list is going to be fuel. They’ll be getting here low, and depending on the station supplies to top off their tanks. YOU Mr. Fuel Baron, “ I directed my attention back to my protentional pincushion. “How much do you think the pirates are going to pay you for your inventory? I hope that you’re not stupid enough to think you can deal with these folks. They’ll space you and your family, after using your wife and daughters as party favors. Think about it ace? Your choice is right there in front of you.”

“And the rest of you, do you think that YOU’LL be spared? Just because you are the movers and shakers, the ‘ruling council’? if you don’t buckle under in the first second, you’ll be orbital debris the next.”

“But let’s say you luck out. Let’s say the bad guys decide to try and ransom you. After all you’ve got all those credits hidden away in the Earth LaGrange banks. So, they get ahold of your brother or sister or poor 3rd cousin, back on Earth, the guy you’ve been ignoring all these years. And they say, Hey Brother, if you want us to spare your loved one, Mr. Moneybags, you’ll send us all his money. Here’s the access codes to his secret accounts.”