StarCOM

(This story is a work in progress, I'll add more to it later)

“Send in the prisoner!” the executioner yelled. The words rang out above the noise of the blood-thirsty crowd.  As the crowds screams for blood rose higher, a disheveled youth was being pushed and shoved toward his doom by the guards.  As the young man protested, the guards shoved him into the disintegration chamber.

“Please, I didn’t do anything wrong!”  The young man yelled as his hands pressed against the glass of the tube.

“The prisoner, Cadet Multak, has been found guilty of the crime of criminal negligence.  He deliberately disobeyed the orders of a superior officer, and in doing so is directly responsible for the destruction of the Galactic Defense Council’s Flagship, the Teegan.  Roughly five hundred crew members were not able to escape before the ship was destroyed.  For this crime, the Galactic Defense Council has sentenced Cadet Multak to death by disintegration.  Does the prisoner have any last words before the sentence is carried out?”  These last words were spoken without emotion as the executioner wiped some dust from its wings.

“Please, don’t do this!  I’m not guilty of anything!”  the young man screamed in desperation.  The executioner ignored him, instead turning his attention toward the crowd.  The crowd was starting to get impatient.

“Let it be recorded that the prisoner, Cadet Multak, was executed on the planet Kimzar on the fifth day of Usk, in the year 3759 AG.” The executioner said as he prepared to activate the disintegrator.  His grey skin shone in the moonlight as he charged the device.  In a matter of moments, the prisoner would be nothing.

Moments before the executioner could throw the switch, an explosion rocked the room.  The crowd, guards, and the executioner were hurled to the floor as a huge laser blast burned a hole through the room.  A few moments later, a couple of ropes snaked down from the ceiling.  As the guards fought to regain their senses, a purple creature with tentacles slid down one rope while a short, furry creature slid down the other one.

The two intruders opened fire on the guards as the crowd ran in terror.  The executioner rose to his hooves, preparing to throw the switch.  The furry creature quickly turned and fired a blast clear through the executioner’s abdomen.  As the executioner fell to the floor, more guards swarmed into the room.

“Hey Altook,”  the purple creature said, “looks like they’ve brought in the cavalry.”

“I don’t care if they bring in the artillery, Zarano,” the furry creature responded, “just so long as I get some action.”

Zarano fired a blast at the ceiling.  A huge portion of it fell, killing three guards.  Altook rolled behind some debris as he shot a guard through the chest.  Zarano fought his way to the disintegration chamber.  The young prisoner looked on, shocked by this reprieve from certain doom.

“Please, get me out of here!”  the young man screamed.

“That’s what we’re here for.” Zarano replied as he ducked to avoid a laser blast.

Zarano fired a blast at the doorway.  It collapsed, barring the only way into the room.  As Altook continued to fight the guards, Zarano examined the disintegration chamber.  Zarano ducked behind the disintegration chamber as he pulled out his communicator.

“Looks like we’ve got a problem, commander.  The disintegration chamber is sealed tight.”  Zarano said into the communicator.

“I’ll send Taliwan right away.”  the voice of the radio said.

“Negative, commander.  We’re still under heavy enemy fire and we don’t have a lot of time.  We need Moloth if we want to get out of here in one piece.”  Zarano replied.

“Understood.  Command out.”  the voice said.

As Zarano and Altook continued to fight against the guards, a twelve foot tall behemoth slid down the ropes and into the room.  He took a quick look around the room before spotting the disintegration chamber.  He ran over to the chamber.

“What do you think?”  Zarano asked.

“Some Merovian-T37 should do the job.”  Moloth said as he reached into his bag.

Moloth pulled out a small blue brick from the bag and gently placed it on the glass of the chamber.  He calmly walked up to the disintegrator control panel, hardly noticing the guard that was firing at him.  Moloth pulled a remote from his jacket and layed down on the floor, pressing the button.

As the blue brick exploded, the glass of the disintegration chamber shattered.  The young man staggered out of the chamber, coughing from the smoke of the explosion.  The rubble in front of the door began to shake as the guards on the other side of the door began moving the debris out of the way.

“You take the kid.  We’ll be up in a minute.”  Zarano said to Moloth.

“Make it five.  I’m starting to have fun.”  Altook said.

“You need help.”  Moloth said as he grabbed the young man.

Moloth grabbed one of the ropes with his free hand.  The rope began reeling through the ceiling, taking Moloth and Talgot with it. Soon, Moloth and Talgot had disappeared through the massive hole in the ceiling.

Zarano quickly made his way toward Altook as the guards continued to fire on the two of them.  In a few moments, the debris was cleared from the doorway, and more guards rushed into the room.

“Looks like it’s time to go.”  Zarano said as he fired at one of the guards.

“Just a little bit longer.”  Altook replied as he took out two of the guards.

“If we don’t get out of here now, the Galactic Defense Council will have our ship surrounded.  I don’t think even you can take on the entire GDC Fleet.”  Zarano stated.

“Oh well.  My battery pack needs to recharged anyway.” Altook said.

Zarano and Altook stood up, firing at the guards as they made their way to the other rope.  They grabbed hold of the rope as it began pulling them back to the ship.  The guards continued firing on them as they disappeared through the hole in the ceiling.

                                              * * *

"What did you say?"  the captain bellowed.

"The prisoner got away."  the seargent said.

"How in the world could that happen?"  the captain yelled.

"He was freed by some intruders that broke into the execution room.  We've identified the intruders as members of the StarCOM mercenary group.  Someone must have hired them to break him out."  The seargent's yellow skin started fading into white, betraying his nervousness.

The captain stood up and slammed his fists against his desk.

"Well, don't just stand there!  I want to know who is responsible for this!  Put every available unit on this investigation!"  The captain shouted.

"Yes, sir!"  The seargent's skin returned to normal as he left the captain's office.

Ten minutes later, the captain pushed a button on his desk.  A screen rose up from the desk.  The captain activated the signal scrambler.  After a few minutes, the communications screen confirmed that the signal was being successfully scrambled.  The captain smiled to himself as he opened the communications chanel.

"This is Commander Viarna of the Buritus."  On the view screen was a five-eyed creature with green skin. In the place where her sixth eye should have been, there was a metal plate.  The numerous scars on her face showed that she had been in many battles.

"Greetings Viarna.  This is Captain Multak of the Galactic Defense Fleet.  I heard that the extraction went as planned."  the captain stated.

"I wouldn't go that far, but your son is safely aboard our ship.  You were supposed to have deactivated the shields sooner."  Viarna replied.

"I didn't want to risk losing my post.  I had to wait until I was sure that I would not be caught."  the captain explained.

"Whatever.  You hired us to free your son.  The mission is complete.  As soon as we get our payment, we'll return him to you."  Viarna said.

"I'm transferring the funds now."  the captain said.

The captain drummed his fingers against his desk impatiently.  A few minutes went by as the money was transferred.

"Alright, Baros, where is the rest of it?"  Viarna asked.

"That's all your going to get."  the captain said.

"Sorry, but that's nowhere near the amount we agreed on for this operation."  Viarna said.

"It's more than enough, especially considering the number of guards you killed breaking my son out."

"Sorry, Baros, but until you come up with the full amount, we're keeping your son."  Viarna stated.

"You can't do this!  I'll send the entire GDC Fleet out to arrest the whole lot of you!"  the captain yelled.

"And then your son ends up back in the execution chamber.  When you get the full amount, give me a call."  Viarna stated.

The communcations screen went black.  The captain shouted furiously in his office.

                                                  * * *