Captain Littlecrow arrived on the bridge about ten minutes after Gibson and Mitzner had returned. She marched straight to the command throne and sat down hard. Her face wore a mask of worry.
"Ensign Marceaux," she sighed "Hail the Hatshepsut."
The members of the bridge crew exchanged uncomfortable glances. Marceaux opened a channel.
"This is Captain Alexandria Littlecrow of the FSS Armstrong to the FSS Hatshepsut," said the Captain "Do you read?"
A familiar face appeared on the main screen.
"This is Captain Ojore Sandström of the Hatshepsut. Hello again, Captain Littlecrow. I trust you have verified the legitimacy of our warrants and are ready to coordinate the prisoner transfer?"
"I'm afraid not," said Littlecrow.
"I don't understand," said Sandström "You should have been able to get in touch with Mars by now."
"I have," said Littlecrow "I don't have any problems with the legality of your warrants. The reason I am unable to discuss any prisoner transfers with you is because I have granted both Heliodore Kang and Yoshiko McAfree asylum on the Armstrong. They are under my protection."
"Asylum?" asked Sandström.
"Trust me I'm almost as surprised with myself as you are," said Littlecrow.
"That is most irregular," said Sandström.
"It is what it is," said Littlecrow, sighing again.
"I feel I should inform you, Captain, I that I have been ordered to use any means necessary to secure the capture of Heliodore Kang," said Sandström "He has been declared Hostis Humani Generis; enemy of all mankind. I don't need to remind you of the difference in firepower between our two ships."
"I've overcome more with less," said Littlecrow, dismissively "I will warn you, however, that if you take any hostile maneuvers towards my ship it will be you who is breaking the law. And after that veiled threat I don't believe I'll be tolerating you so much as powerful up your weapons without a response."
Littlecrow and Sandström sized each other up over the T-link for a moment.
"Think about what you're doing," said Sandström "You're not going to have many friends left on Mars after this."
"So be it," said the Captain.
"You can't stay out in the periphery forever," said Sandström "Eventually you'll need to return to the core worlds for maintenance. The very second you dock at a Foundation starbase Heliodore Kang will be arrested."
"Be that as it may, for the moment he is under my protection," said Littlecrow.
"Very well, Captain Alexandria Littlecrow," said Captain Sandström "I leave him in your custody for now. I hope you know what you are doing. End transmission."
The screen returned to the view of a starfield.
"well," said the Captain, under her breath "I don't."
YOU ARE READING
Starship Armstrong - Season 2
Science FictionIt's the dawn of a new era for humankind, and the Huxley Foundation has sent out a fleet of exploratory vessels on a mission of peace. The FSS Armstrong, one of the most advanced ships in the Foundation fleet, rides on the forefront of this age of e...
