Malarek entered the President’s office. He took a chair
from against the back wall, pulled it around in front of the President’s desk, and sat down. The President looked up from his
paperwork.
“ This is a rather unorthodox approach, Malarek.” he started with a certain degree of disapproval. “ I take it the
regular channels were not offering the results you were looking for.”
“ I’d prefer to be brief and to the point, Mister President. I seriously believe you must reconsider your stand on
this issue. Too much is at stake to disregard it.”
“ I’m quite capable of deciding for this government what is a priority and what is not, Mister Malarek. Frankly, I have
more pressing matters to deal with. The infrastructure program must be initiated within the next three days otherwise
this government may be facing a direct vote of non-confidence from not only the planetary councils but also from the electroate
themselves. The interstellar media have almost completed their polls and rumours have it that I may be in for a big upset.
That, my good Captain, is not something I want nor is it something this government needs.”
“ With all due respect, Mister President, your electorate may know more of what’s going on than you. We have a crisis of
epic proportions developing just outside our borders which may prove to be our biggest threat ever and you’re stuck in your
office preparing a public works program that’ll boost your popularity? I dare say, Mister President, a vote of
non-confidence could do you some good!”
“ I don’t have time to listen to your griping, Malarek. You can voice your concerns with Hudson at Spacecom. I’m afraid
things in Toronto work a little bit differently than they do up there. Now if you’ll please allow me to continue my work, I’d
be very grateful. I have a government to run.”
Malarek suppressed an immediate response, as he knew it would have only had him kicked out of the President’s office. His
urge to shake him up a bit had to be calmed, and he knew it.
“ Like I said, Malarek.” he began while returning to his work. “ Give me some proof and a damn good reason to react
seriously to this incident and I’ll act. I’m not afraid to take action, if that’s what you think. If you do, than I’d say
you slept your way to the top ship, Captain. In the meantime, you’ll have to wait. With any luck you may even play a part in
the infrastructure development program.”
Malarek stood in disgust, then began to exit the room. As he did, the speaker came alive with the Admiral’s voice.
“ Mister President, your proof has arrived.”
Malarek boarded the Lodestar from the small shuttle that
had brought him to and from the Confederacy Central offices on Earth, and headed to the bridge.
“ Sir, Spacecom has gone to yellow alert.” stated Hassick as he entered.
“ Good. It’s about time, dammit.” he replied, taking his place at the command chair.
Tapel at his side nodded with a similar heart-felt relief. “ I never knew a government could work so slowly. If
there was anything good about the Central Command it was its efficiency.”
“ That’s debatable.” noted Hassick.
“ Captain, our orders?” inquired Nora.
“ The fleet is to rendezvous in its entirity at the Hyades-Delta shipyards. The station is almost ready, and will
serve as a backup defense force. Admiral Hudson has plans for a layering field - the fleet will be divided along class lines
and will be put into divisions three or four quadrants apart. Should the enemy threat, herein to be militarily termed Huradas,
succeed in crushing the first defense fleet, the next line of defense will be there waiting. We are to be the head of the first
fleet.”
The bridge crew’s attention was piqued. The idea of leading the fleet into death’s gate itself was not an enviable
task. But as flagship, they all knew that was her duty.
Malarek noticed the unease. “ Look at it this way, my friends: we will be the first. We will not have to face the
terror that the Huradas shall surely spread upon Saladium. We will be free of the pain and agony those who remain will have to
endure. A pain I’d rather not live with.”
It was a grim and most unsatisfying truth. Indeed, he had made far better speeches in his career, ones that instilled
courage and super-human strengths of every kind that led his crew into battle proud and confident - that by day’s end they
would be victorious. But he could not betray his feelings this time. He could not betray the truth. Although he had before,
this time he was left unsure and already psychologically beat. His crew needed to have what he could not offer them - a
confidence - a confidence in themselves, their abilities, and in the outcome of what was surely their most critical moment.
But somehow they didn’t expect it this time. Neither Hassick, Nora, Brius, nor Tapel waited for a morale boost from
him. They knew it wouldn’t come. They knew their Captain well, and they knew he was a real man, not a fake facade of
bravura, zealous pride or misplaced confidence.
Nora swung around to face her console, then punched in the command. “ Course laid in, Captain.”
She waited, but she did no receive her verification.
“ I can’t send you to your deaths.” Malarek began, shaking his head. “ I will not condone a suicide like this.”
“ Captain?” Tapel returned, shocked. “ Was it not your idea to send a defense fleet to protect the Confederacy? We are
the flagship. If we disobey such a directive the entire fleet will collapse. They need us there, and they sure as hell need
you.”
“ I can’t do this.”
“ Captain.” started Hassick. “ It isn’t the first time you’ve ordered this ship and this crew into dangerous situations.
We’ve done it before, we can do it again.”
Malarek rose from his chair and walked off the bridge. Tapel looked on, with the others, but did not follow.
“ I thought I might come and visit, Alex.” said Conelly as he seated himself in the large couch on one side of Malarek’s
quarters. His Captain did not budge from his place at the edge of his bed. “ I heard about what happened.”
“ Dammit, Hobart, I don’t need counselling.”
“ No, that you don’t. If we were to have a counsellor, you’d be the last to visit.”
Malarek stood, then joined Conelly at the couch. “ What have I done, my good friend?”
“ You haven’t done a thing, Alex.”
“ I’ve advocated mass suicide, Hobart, that’s what I’ve done!”
“ My, you do know how to spout nonsense sometimes, don’t you.”
“ It isn’t nonsense, Hobart!” he retorted. “ It’s as real as it gets. Do you really believe we stand a fighting chance in
hell to beat such odds? Reports have now been pouring in about the absolute incredible destructive force of these people -
or whatever they are. I’m telling you, it’s nothing short of a suicide mission.”
“ Now you tell me, my dear Captain.” Conelly grabbed a bottle of Tivorgan ale, popped out the cork, then took a swig. “
What the hell else are we supposed to do? Stand and do nothing? That’s what I call suicidal.”
“ The Huradas will smite whatever resistence they are confronted with, Hobart. They’ll smite it. We’ll show up firing
our lasers, launching our torpedoes, and they’ll reach out and press their bloody middle finger down on us like a bug. It’s
that simple.”
“ Who came up with that name, anyway? Huradas. Sounds Schwadishian.” inquired Conelly almost apathetically.
“ It’s Manojarran, Hobart. Does it really matter?” blasted Malarek.
“ What does it mean?” he asked as he took another swig of ale.
“ It’s roughly the equivalent of Lucifer, Hobart.”
“ Ah, the devil himself. Now tell me, good Captain Malarek, are you going to shy away from the devil? Indeed,
perhaps the grim reaper himself has come knocking on our door. But he has before, we just don’t answer the bloody thing.
All you have to do is keep that door shut. So long as you can keep ‘em out, Alex, you’re going to be fine. We all will. Only
those who open the gate to hell will be lured in.”
Malarek looked quietly at his friend, then gave out a meager grin. “ You seem to know an awful lot about hell, Hobart.”
“ You would too if you had to deal with an engine room short of half its staff and an engine as tempermental as my old
aunt Haricot!”
“ You had an aunt named Haricot?”
“ What difference does it make?” Conelly returned defensively. “ She made good muffins.”
“ I bet she did.”
“ Now be a little more optimistic, Alex. You’re being a bit drab. Doesn’t help digestion one iota.”
“ Eating is farthest from my mind right now.”
“ Drinking, silly! Now, let me tell you something, Alex.” he began, putting the bottle back in its place. “ My chances of
survival through all this are just as slim as yours or anyone elses, but I’m sure as hell not going to put the blame on you
when I die. I’d never do that, Alex. I’ve always supported your every move and command, Captain, and that’s not about to
change. Now if you think this mission is suicide, then perhaps it’s time you consider drinking. Heavily. But I’m not
going to think this is suicide. I’m doing my duty - I’m serving Spacecom and I’m serving you. And you’ll be doing yours.
It’s as simple as that. If you make it any more complicated than that, you’ll find the door to hell open each time you shut
your eyes. That’s one way to not get any sleep, I’ll tell you.”
Malarek strode on to the bridge. “ Helm, set course for Hyades-Delta. Maximum Hyperspace!”