TALES OF THE RELIANT

THE CAPTAIN'S LAST STAND

Captain Yager and Commander Steiner were holed up in an abandoned cantina. Outside were several armed troops wearing white armor and helmets over their faces. John and Lisa were sent on a covert mission by Admiral Flagg to investigate rumors that a low-level criminal and sometime pirate named Mostiv had taken over a small town called Sudari on the Alliance planet Navaro and was terrorizing its inhabitants. However, they immediately discovered upon arriving on the planet not only were the rumors true but that all the townspeople had disappeared, presumably having fled the town in fear. Mostiv had also somehow managed to amass a small army who attacked them upon their arrival. John and Lisa managed to fight them off as they ran into the cantina they were currently holed up in, though John had been shot in the arm. Their only weapons were their laser pistols and a laser blaster Lisa had managed to take off one of the troops during their battle before she shot him. They would have contacted The Reliant for help but their communicators were being jammed by some sort of jamming device presumably by Mostiv or one of his troops. John and Lisa considered slipping out the back way but reasoned there would be troops blocking the back exit waiting for them.

"So what do we do now, Captain?" Lisa asked John as if she already knew the answer.

"You're asking me?" She gave him a look. "Honestly, Lisa, I don't know."

"What I'd like to know is how a small-time criminal like this guy is able to amass such a huge army."

"Well, maybe we can ask him if we ever get out of this."

"If we get out of this? That doesn't sound very optimistic."

"IF you're looking for optimism right now, I'm afraid you're looking at the wrong guy."

"Captain John Yager," a voice from outside called out.

"Yeah," John called back. "And you are?"

"I'm General Mostiv."

"General? I'm assuming that's not an official title."

"It's official enough. I take it that's your first officer Commander Lisa Steiner in there with you."

John and Lisa exchanged a look.

"You appear to have me at a disadvantage, General," John said. "You seem to know all these things about me but I hardly know anything about you."

"Oh, you know me, Captain. More than you realize."

John thought for a moment as he tried to remember if he did in fact know who this Mostiv was. Then it hit him like a lead balloon.

"Oh no," he muttered.

"What is it?" Lisa said.

"Parlon," John said without answering Lisa. "Parlon Mostiv, is that you?"

"Why, yes, Captain. You do remember me. I'm flattered."

"It's been a long time."

"Yes, Captain, it has been a long time. A very long time. In fact, the last time I saw you was when you destroyed my career in the Alliance."

"That's not how I remember it, Parlon."

"Of course you'd say that, wouldn't you?"

"So what's all this about, Parlon? Why did you take over this town?"

"Well, I knew if I raised a big enough ruckus the Alliance would send someone out here to investigate."

"How did you know they'd send me?"

"Call it a hunch. I figured they would send somebody low-level to investigate the takeover of a small town on an insignificant planet within the Alliance. And, let's face it, Captain, right now you're about as low-level as they get as far as Alliance captains are concerned."