SquidgeWorld Archive

The Uncharted Territories were home to such despicable people as the Zenitans and Sheyangs. It was also home for an unlikely group of mostly Sebacean renegades. Renegades that Peacekeeper Command had been hunting for cycles without much success. This may help to explain the presence of a Peacekeeper Command Carrier on the edge of the Uncharted Territories.

Captain Bialar Crais and Lieutenant Tauvo Crais were talking on the command deck of the formers command carrier.

"Captain Crais?" Lieutenant Teeg asked as she approached the two men.

"Yes Lieutenant Teeg?"

"Here are the reassignments that just need your approval sir."

Crais cast his eyes down the list and smiled when he reached one name in particular. "Ah my brother, you will soon receive a fine pilot in your prowler wing, or at least so I am told."

"Who is that, may I ask?" Tauvo was intrigued.

"Officer Aeryn Sun."

"Isn't she the one that handed in her recreating partner for treason?"

"Yes she is, my brother. You would do well to watch her." Crais handed the list back to Teeg. "Consider them approved, Lieutenant."

Teeg nodded and left the Crais brothers alone.

"Bialar, isn't Officer Sun the daughter of Fleet Captains Talyn and Karen Sun?" Asked Tauvo.

"I believe so." There had been something in his brother's voice that made Crais face him "Why? What of it?"

"She is then as much a paradox among the Peacekeepers as you and I, my brother, for we have all heard stories about the Fleet Captains."

Crais nodded. "You would do very well to watch her then and stay away from her, if you get my meaning."

"She is not called the ice queen with a pulse rifle for nothing, my brother," Tauvo paused, "until Lieutenant Velorek it would seem and look where it got him."

******

Velorek, former Lieutenant in Peacekeeper military tech, sat in his cell awaiting his fate, awaiting the living death. Aeryn had tried so desperately to warn him, but Captain Crais had surprised them both. He had seen that in her eyes.

Velorek's cell door opened and in stepped someone he never expected to see. "Scorpious?"

The half-breed smiled, "so you have heard of me then, Lieutenant Velorek?"

"Yes."

"It's a pity that you have been convicted of treason. I could use someone with your skills."

"What are you saying?"

"I can have your death sentence stopped if you help me with a little project of mine."

"And what project is that?"

"It's called the Aurora Chair."

******

"Captain Crais," Lieutenant Teeg called, "we have five renegade cutters on scanners."

Crais smiled. "Good. Have all prowler wings standing by. Is our little surprise ready?"

"Yes, Captain. They will be within range in half an arn, sir."

"I knew the renegades couldn't resist the bait." Crais smiled again. "Launch all prowlers."

******

Nirre Kain had a tremendous feeling of foreboding ever since her parents left on the latest mission a weeken ago. Something just didn't ring true, but she couldn't say what. Even her parents knew something didn't seem right, but they had gone anyway.

"Nirre? I think you need to come and see this."

At the sound of her name she turned to she her friend, Rodimus' Kurn who was standing in the doorway, his expression and tone of voice told Nirre that the worst might soon come to pass.

They both walked in silence to the small command centre. Radium's played back the last transmission from one of the Cutters. It showed them coming under attack from a Peacekeeper command carrier and all of its prowlers before the transmission was cut short.

"They're all dead, aren't they?" Nirre said sadly.

"That, or captured." Radium's replied, equally as sad. "It now falls to you Nirre to lead us."

"Yes I know Radium's, but it's not supposed to happen this way."

"It never is...but always dose."

"whose command carrier was it?" Nirre asked.

"Captain Crais, I think."

"Captain Crais...I will remember that name." Nirre turned to leave, "we must plan and be careful. Then we can have revenge on the Peacekeepers for this."

"Your parents wouldn't want you to avenge them. Not by going up against a command carrier anyway."

"Maybe not, but it's what I want. It's what I need." She looked at her friend, her face showing all the hatred for the Peacekeepers. What she saw was the same look mirrored on Radium's' face. They both hated the Peacekeepers, but for different reasons. "Are you with me?"

"Yes. We all are Nirre."

They both left the command to start planning their next move. The renegades were nothing if not passionate.

******

Fleet Captain Karen Sun was troubled by what her daughter had done to gain a prowler assignment. To be sure, it was the Peacekeeper way, but there was something that didn't make sense. She had seen the tapes of Captain Crais' interrogation of Velorek. While the Lieutenant had said nothing in regard to his sabotage of the Leviathan Moya, which was commendable in itself, Karen Sun couldn't shake the feeling it was for her daughter's sake as much as the Leviathan's. That and the fact she had to baby-sit that almost out of control Captain Bialar Crais while her beloved mate, Talyn, was stuck behind a desk at Peacekeeper Command. It was just too much. She finally had ordered Crais to come and see her.

"You did well against the renegades, Captain Crais. Five Cutters destroyed, a few prisoners. Have you gotten anything useful out of them?"

"No, Fleet Captain Sun." replied Crais.

"Is the Leviathan Moya operational?"

"Yes, even though Lieutenant Velorek tried to sabotage the leviathan. Whatever he had in mind, he never got the chance to do. Thanks to his recreating partner."

"Recreating partner? Explain Crais." Karen Sun asked. She was on to something and she knew it.

"I was informed by his recreating partner, Officer Aeryn Sun, that Lieutenant Velorek and some of his men planned to sabotage Moya somehow."

"What did she ask for in return?"

"A prowler assignment, as she had been pulled from prowler service to fly the transport which had a very special cargo. Lieutenant Velorek and Officer Sun were the only crew and they were alone for 22 solar days."

Fleet Captain Sun nodded and stood walked to her viewport, studying the fleet under her command for a time before turning on Crais. "Was it really necessary to kill the leviathan's exiting Pilot, Crais?" She demanded.

Crais blinked, how much did the Fleet Captain know? "Yes, she would not cooperate so I had her replaced."

"Replaced? A Pilot?" Asked Captain Sun puzzled. "Oh the transport. That's why you needed the best pilot you had, even if it meant pulling them from prowler duty?"

Crais openly looked worried. Captain Sun smiled, "I have no interest in your plans Crais, so long as they do not stop Moya being a prison transport. Dismissed."

******

The Peacekeeper Regiment never knew what hit them. The renegade attack was very well planned, timed to happen just after about half the regiment had come back from a mission. Surprise was total confusion, almost total, but what the renegades came for they got and in one piece.

"Nirre!" Called Radium's, "we have the comm equipment and all the Peacekeeper codes are in tact."

Nirre smiled. "Good, we got what we came for. Anything else we can take is a bonus."

"What about the prisoners, Nirre?"

"We may be renegades, but we are not murders. Do as I asked."

Rodimus' nodded, "yes Captain." He paused for moment "You truly have the renegades' honour."

Nirre smiled again, "thank you Radium's, as do we all."

As the renegade transports took off after stripping the base of anything useful, be it weapons, supplies, equipment or anything else that was of trade value, the survivors of the attack looked on amazed. Amazed that they were still alive and had been left with a reasonable amount of supplies. Some of their number was wounded. Peacekeeper Command had led them to believe that they would be executed if the renegades captured them, but that was not the case.

******

"Lieutenant Teeg, I want Lieutenant Velorek transferred to my command carrier along with the renegade prisoners," said Fleet Captain Sun.

"Lieutenant Velorek was due to be executed for treason."

"I'm aware, Lieutenant, but those higher than Crais may still have a use for him. As far as Crais is concerned he was executed on time. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"I understand, Fleet Captain." Teeg replied.

After the comm went dead, Captain Sun faced the half-breed, "it's done Scorpious. Soon Lieutenant Velorek will be released into your care. And I will be on my way to Peacekeeper Command with the renegade prisoners."

"Your help is much appreciated, Fleet Captain."

"I'm sure it is," she replied, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. She did not trust the half-breed one bit and she had yet to meet a Peacekeeper that did.

******

Nirre, Radium's and two of their best techs were busy with the stolen Peacekeeper equipment. They had at last found what they were looking for.

"Here it is. There's about twenty renegade prisoners on Crais' Command Carrier." The tech paused, "oh no, they're due to be transferred to Fleet Captain Sun's Command Carrier and taken to Peacekeeper Command."

"They are lost to us," Radium's said sadly.

Nirre smiled evilly, "maybe not."

"Nirre, a command carrier is one thing, but a Fleet Captain's? Have you gone insane?" Radium's asked.

"No Radium's, I haven't gone insane. I've got a plan that I think will work."

******

"Captain Sun, the transports carrying the renegades and Lieutenant Velorek have just docked," said Commander Renz.

"Thank you Commander. Have Lieutenant Velorek brought to my quarters and have the renegades taken to the cells. Maximum security."

"Yes, ma'am." Commander Renz paused, "shall I inform Scorpious that Lieutenant Velorek is here?"

"No. I wish to speak with Velorek before handing him to that Scarren half-breed."

Renz nodded and his image faded to be replaced by Bialar Crais'.

"Ah Captain Crais, I will soon be on my way back to Peacekeeper Command and you will have your first fleet command." Captain Sun paused, "don't frell it up, Captain."

"I will do my best, of course, Fleet Captain. However, escorting a group of heathens to a lifer colony should not be too difficult."

"I would have thought so too, but one never knows, Crais." replied Captain Sun.

******

"There, it's done Nirre." Radium's said, "Fleet Captain Sun will soon know of the attack on her personal regiment and hopefully come and get what's left."

Nirre smiled, "that's what I'm counting on."

******

Velorek was brought to Captain Sun's quarters and the two guards were ordered to wait outside.

"What do you want of me, Fleet Captain? I thought I was being handed to Scorpious." Velorek did not understand

Karen Sun smiled, "you will be handed over to that Scarren half-breed soon enough, Velorek, however I have some questions regarding my daughter, Aeryn Sun."

Velorek's moth dropped open and his eyes widened in surprise, "Officer Sun is your daughter?"

"Yes Velorek, she is, and I'm worried about her. How in the frell did she get mixed up in your little escapade on Moya?"

Velorek looked sad, "I can't tell you, Fleet Captain, as much as I'd like to. If Crais ever finds out what I did to Moya...."

"Crais!" exclaimed Karen Sun. "This whole thing revolves round that frelling farm boy!" She turned away to regain her composure. "Lieutenant Velorek, I promise you whatever you tell me will stay in this room. You have my word as a Fleet Captain and a mother who is worried about her daughter." She turned back to face Velorek. "Will you tell me?" She asked.

Velorek looked at the woman before him. She asked for something only he could give her - peace of mind. He took a deep breath and began to explain about the new Pilot, his relationship with Aeryn and Crais' plan to breed a hybrid Leviathan/Peacekeeper warship.

******

Commander Renz had to read the message several times to make sure he was not seeing things. "Frell the renegades for this!" He hissed, "the captain will not be pleased at all." He turned and walked off the command deck.

******

"Thank you. Velorek I will not forget this." Karen Sun said "However I must now take you too Scorpious."

"I understand, Fleet Captain." Velorek looked Captain Sun in the eyes, "you do not trust that Scarren half-breed do you?"

"No."

"Nor do I, but it's better than the living death."

Captain Sun smiled weakly, "I hope so, Velorek. You are a good man, no matter what the idiot Crais may think."

With that the two Peacekeepers walked out of Captain Sun's quarters and headed for the docking bay where Scorpious was waiting.

******

Bialar Crais turned to face Lieutenant Teeg, "I now have command of this fleet as Fleet Captain Sun is returning with the renegades to Peacekeeper Command. Has the traitor, Lieutenant Velorek, been executed?"

"Yes Captain, and his body had been disposed of as you ordered," replied Teeg

Crais smiled, "good. Get us under way then, Lieutenant." He smiled again. Soon his plan would come to pass, all he had to do was wait.

******

The transport with Scorpious and Velorek had just left the docking bay as Commander Renz entered at a run.

"Captain!" Yelled Renz over the roar of the departing transport's engines.

"What is it, Renz?" Asked Captain Sun as she faced him.

"This," he said, handing the Captain the message. Captain Sun read the message a few times, her face giving no indication of her reaction. "We go and pick up the survivors and then to command."

"It could be a trap, Captain."

"Of course it could be a trap, but we go anyway."

******

"Nirre, the Fleet Captain is on her way."

"Good. How many ships do we have available?"

"We have forty ready to go. The rest will be ready before the command carrier arrives."

"So that will give us eighty cutters and about four hundred prowlers?"

"Yes. All we have to do is work out the best way to deploy them."

Both Nirre and Radium's turned their attention to the map of the star system.

******

Fleet Captain Sun had entered the cellblock where the renegades were being held unnoticed as the Lieutenant who had the job of looking after the prisoners and his men were busy interrogating the leaders of the renegades.

"Lieutenant. They will not tell us anything." said an Officer.

"We'll see about that. Turn up the heat." replied the Lieutenant evilly.

Karen Sun raised her eyebrows. What was he trying to do? Kill them? As she watched the leaders, a man and woman who would she guessed be about the same age as her maybe a little older started to show the first signs of Heat Delirium.

"You will not get anything out of us this way." croaked the woman "We will not tell you where our base is. We'd rather die!"

"We'll see bitch!" hissed the Lieutenant. he signaled for the heat to be turned up feather

It was when the prisoners lost consciousness Karen Sun diced to end this insanity "What do you think *you* are doing Lieutenant?" Barked Captain Sun

The Lieutenant turned to face the officer who had spoken. He could not see her rank as she was stood in a dimly light part of the corridor "Ma'am?" he asked as if what he was doing was perfectly alright.

At this Karen Sun rolled her eyes. Where had this Lieutenant come from? She now stepped into the light only now the Lieutenant and his men could see her rank clearly. Their reactions varied but they all knew they were in *deep* dren.

"I...er...well, was trying to...." Began the Lieutenant feebly.

"To *kill* the prisoners?" Offered Captain Sun.

"No."

"You're doing a frelling good job of it!" Karen Sun hissed. She shot a look at the officer at the temperature controls who instantly returned the setting to normal. She now eyeballed the Lieutenant "Who the frell gave you authority?"

"Captain Crais," said the Lieutenant meekly.

Karen Sun's face darkened at the mention of the name. "Crais!" She hissed rolling her eyes, "Crais? Why does that not surprise me?" She said the name like it were something bad. Captain Sun then touched her comm link, "Commander Renz!"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Have a med team and relief guard detail down to where the renegades are being held, now!"

"Med team?" Asked Renz, "what happened?"

"Heat Delirium, thanks to that idiot Crais."

"Understood. Renz out."

Captain Sun glared at the half dozen men in front of her. "They had better be all right for your sakes and needless to say, you are all relieved of duty until further notice!" With that she turned on her heel and walked out to wait for the med team and relief guard.

******

Commander Renz was present when Marc and Jenna Kain, Nirre's parents, regained consciousness. He smiled slightly they seemed all right, but he would soon know.

"What the frell happened?" Asked Marc to no one in particular.

"What's the last thing either of you remember?" Renz asked.

"We were being questioned about our base," answered Jenna.

The Med Tech finished her scans. "They're fine Commander. No side effects from the Heat Delirium."

"Good, the Captain will be pleased."

"Heat Delirium?" Questioned Marc, "what were you thinking!"

Commander Renz smiled, "some of the guards got a little over enthusiastic. It's a good thing Fleet Captain Sun came by when she did. She saved both of you from the Living Death." Renz noticed that the med Tech looked as if she wanted to say something more. Renz glanced at her, "what is it?" He asked.

The tech looked nervous, "she's pregnant with twins," she said nodding in the direction of Jenna Kain.

"WHAT?!" Surely the Tech was joking?

******

Karen Sun looked out her viewport and wondered about the past five solar days. Renz had called her down to the cells when it was discovered that one of the renegades was pregnant. That, for Karen Sun, had put a new spin on the whole thing. She had ordered Marc and Jenna Kain moved to somewhere more suitable, but still under heavy guard. Over the days that followed Karen Sun learned much about the renegades. How they had wanted a life free of the military. How Peacekeeper Command had sent the Zelbinion and the massacre that had followed. The destruction of the Zelbinion by the Nebari soon thereafter. What Karen Sun had discovered about Captain Durka of the Zelbinion had shocked her. In all her cycles as a Peacekeeper she had not heard of such things being done to any species much less their own kind. None of this could be proved to Command's satisfaction as the Zelbinion had been destroyed long ago and was now a hulk somewhere in the Uncharteds; Commander Renz interrupted her thoughts on her comm link

"Captain, we are about to enter the star system where the renegades attacked."

"Thank you Renz. I'll be there shortly."

******

Radium's turned to Nirre with a smile on his face. "Fleet Captain Sun's Command Carrier is here. What are your orders?"

Nirre smiled, "we wait. Timing will be everything."

******

Half an arn later Captain Sun was on the planet with what was left of her regiment. The renegades had done a good job. There wasn't much left of value to anyone on the base. As she walked to where the survivors were she noticed two bodies lying face down in the dust. They were renegades, but the odd thing was they were the *only* renegade corpses anywhere to be seen.

"Fleet Captain, you shouldn't have come. It's a trap," said a wary lieutenant.

Captain Sun smiled, "I know lieutenant," she glanced at the bodies of the renegades, "what happened to them?"

A young female officer spoke, her voice trembling as she did, "they tried to rape me."

"What?" Karen Sun's voice was little more than a whisper, "they what?"

"Or at least they tried too," said the lieutenant. "Several other renegades stopped them. But it was what happened after that that was interesting."

"Go on lieutenant."

"The renegade leader and her number two were called over. None of us could hear what was said, but it was clear that those two," she nodded at the corpses, "had frelled up for the last time. And soon there after, the leader, Nirre I think was her name, drew her side arm and shot them both and left them where they fell. The rest of their dead they took with them."

******

Nirre turned to Rodimus and nodded, he in turn gave the signal for the other cutters and prowlers to show themselves. The plan was simple - surround the command carrier before it could brake planetary orbit.

******

Karen Sun stepped out of the transport that had just docked as her comm link beeped

"What is it Commander?"

"The renegades have surrounded us. We can't break orbit and they are too close to use frag cannons. They also have prowlers near our larch bays." Renz paused for a moment, "Captain, their leader wishes to speak with you."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

******

Karen Sun entered the command deck. On the viewer was the image of Nirre Kain, a fine looking woman about 35 cycles or so. Her long dark hair flowed freely about her shoulders. She stood with the pose of a seasoned commander and looked the part in the renegade uniform she wore.

"Fleet Captain Sun, I'll be blunt. I want my people back," said Nirre crisply.

"You know I can't let them go," replied Karen Sun as much as I may want too she thought.

"Then you know you won't be getting out of here without a fight."

"It would seem that we are at an impasse. Unless....." Karen Sun turned to have a hushed conversation with Commander Renz "Commander, have a transport ready, no pilot. And have the Kains brought up here under guard."

"What are you doing?" Renz was lost

"Simple. While I can't give all the prisoners back, I'll offer her something she never expected, her parents. And as Jenna Kain is with child, if I were to take her back I dread to think what would happen."

Renz now understood his Captain's plan. "Now I know why you make such a good Captain and mother." Renz left to do as his captain had ordered.

Captain Sun turned back to Nirre, "as I said, I can't release all the prisoners, but what I will do is release two." She paused for effect, "your parents, Nirre."

Nirre took a few microts to react "They're alive? My parents are alive?" The hope in her voice was almost unbelievable.

"Yes Nirre, they are." Captain Sun assured her, "in fact they should be here soon, under guard."

The command deck was filled with the sound of combat boots as the Kains were brought beside Captain Sun. "What are you going to do? Kill us in front of our daughter?" Spat Marc Kain

"No," replied Karen Sun, unfazed by the outburst "I'm going to release you two no that should be the four of you."

"Four?" queried Nirre.

"Yes four. Your mother is with child, twins."

"Why would you do this?" Asked Jenna Kain.

Karen Sun looked Jenna in the eyes, "I have a daughter, too," she said. "Also, you are with child. You would not be treated very well once we get back to Peacekeeper Command. I will not allow that to happen. I'm a mother as well as a Peacekeeper officer. I must choose which to be as I cannot be both." Everyone on the command deck understood Karen Sun's words all too well. She was choosing to be a mother. They also knew that it might cost Karen Sun dearly once they were back at Peacekeeper Command.

Nirre looked at her parents for guidance. They both shook their heads sadly. "It's up to you Nirre," said her father.

"Do you feel you can trust Fleet Captain Sun?" Added her mother.

Nirre was quiet for a long time before she spoke, "Fleet Captain, I agree to your proposal." she then made a subtle nod.

The navigation officer on the Command deck spoke, "Fleet Captain the renegade prowlers are backing off as are the cutters. We could try...." The rest of his sentence was cut off by a death glare from Karen Sun.

"We *will not* be making a run for it!" She hissed. "Commander Renz, it is time for us to keep our end of the agreement. Escort the Kains to the transport and inform me when they are safely aboard."

Commander Renz nodded and headed for the docking bay with the Kains and their escort.

******

The transport made it's way from the command carrier and docked with Nirre's cutter. Soon after the renegades left the star system. An arn and a half later the commander carrier headed for Peacekeeper Command.

Only a handful of people knew of what happened. The Suns, Commander Renz, the deck officers of Karen Sun's command carrier, as well as the Peacekeeper Grand Admiral. Fleet Captain Sun's actions that day did cost her and her mate, Fleet Captain Talyn Sun, but not for another three cycles, not until a Leviathan named Moya escaped with their daughter Aeryn who had been deemed irreversibly contaminated by Captain Bialar Crais.......

Fin