towards the Talisan lieutenant standing beside me. "Get a salvage crew, get on that destroyer, and see what we need to do to bring that ship into our hold. If it came from Andromeda, we might need it."
The lieutenant nodded before turning away.
I gestured to the remainder of the crew of the Molitar. "Have a seat, gentlemen. Can I get you some food? We have Human food aboard."
The Captain placed his hands on the table in front of him. "We've eaten. I don't want to seem rude, as you no doubt just saved our lives, but who are you?"
I smiled and held out my hand. "I'm the Emperor of Dallex. We are on an important mission for the Salton family. And as I said, we are on the same side. We are part of the New Alliance. If that alien ship you mentioned is important to the Alliance, our retrieving it will be of benefit to the Alliance as well."
The Captain gestured. "Those aren't Alliance uniforms. How do I know you are on the side of the Alliance?"
"Well, technically, you don't."
The Captain continued, "And for that matter, why are you flying a ship with no transponder in a sector that is no doubt the most restricted in the galaxy?"
I crossed my arms. "How about this … I'll ask a few questions of you first. Your ship … you've been in a fight in Andromeda. You have a captured alien vessel with you. How did you get the damage and how did you get the alien ship?"
Jack Carson leaned back and crossed his arms as well. "That's all classified. And if you knew what was good for you, and if you are indeed on the side of the New Alliance, you would fly myself and my crew to the shipyards, which I'm certain you know where they are."
I laughed. "I don't think so, Captain. What incentive do we have? There won't be a reward for your rescue. No, there's no good reason for us to do that while risking our own mission."
After several minutes of conversation a call came over my arm comm. "The alien vessel is in transport, Sir. We should have her aboard in about five minutes."
I looked back at the Captain. "Anything you want to tell me about this alien ship?"
The Captain shook his head. "A, I don't know anything else, and B: if I did, I couldn't tell you."
I pressed the comm button on my arm pad. "Go. As soon as the cargo is aboard, let me know."
Go replied, "Yes, Sir!"
I turned back to the sergeant who was in charge of the guard watching the Captain and his crew. "Sergeant, I believe we have several spare quarters set aside for dignitaries. Please escort the Captain's crew there. And see to it they have any food or drink we can offer."
I turned back to the Captain. "Care to join me on the bridge? I have a few more questions I would like to ask."
The Captain shook his head. "If it's all the same to you I would just as soon stay with my crew. We've been through a lot together and I'm not comfortable being separated from them."
Go came back over the comm. "The alien ship is aboard. Should we continue on our prior heading?"
I thought for a moment. "No. Can you target the other generators on that destroyer?"
Go replied, "I can. They are in lockdown. Do you want to destroy the rest of that ship?"
I nodded. "Yes. Take us to a safe distance and make sure there is nothing left but small parts when you are done. Tell the Major to have several ships join in for target practice."
The Captain stood. "That's my ship, an Alliance warship! The Dauntless ! What are you doing?"
I held up my hand as I stood. "Your ship is finished, Captain. My crew needs the practice, and we don't want anyone coming after us for the alien ship we just took."
The Captain plopped back in his chair. "You don't have to worry about anyone looking for it. We're the only ones who know it's on there ... was on there."
I gestured towards the door. "Why don't you all join me on the bridge. That destroyer is good for nothing but salvage now."
Jack Carson replied, "You're going to make me watch the destruction of my own ship?"
I smiled. "Think of it as having
The lieutenant nodded before turning away.
I gestured to the remainder of the crew of the Molitar. "Have a seat, gentlemen. Can I get you some food? We have Human food aboard."
The Captain placed his hands on the table in front of him. "We've eaten. I don't want to seem rude, as you no doubt just saved our lives, but who are you?"
I smiled and held out my hand. "I'm the Emperor of Dallex. We are on an important mission for the Salton family. And as I said, we are on the same side. We are part of the New Alliance. If that alien ship you mentioned is important to the Alliance, our retrieving it will be of benefit to the Alliance as well."
The Captain gestured. "Those aren't Alliance uniforms. How do I know you are on the side of the Alliance?"
"Well, technically, you don't."
The Captain continued, "And for that matter, why are you flying a ship with no transponder in a sector that is no doubt the most restricted in the galaxy?"
I crossed my arms. "How about this … I'll ask a few questions of you first. Your ship … you've been in a fight in Andromeda. You have a captured alien vessel with you. How did you get the damage and how did you get the alien ship?"
Jack Carson leaned back and crossed his arms as well. "That's all classified. And if you knew what was good for you, and if you are indeed on the side of the New Alliance, you would fly myself and my crew to the shipyards, which I'm certain you know where they are."
I laughed. "I don't think so, Captain. What incentive do we have? There won't be a reward for your rescue. No, there's no good reason for us to do that while risking our own mission."
After several minutes of conversation a call came over my arm comm. "The alien vessel is in transport, Sir. We should have her aboard in about five minutes."
I looked back at the Captain. "Anything you want to tell me about this alien ship?"
The Captain shook his head. "A, I don't know anything else, and B: if I did, I couldn't tell you."
I pressed the comm button on my arm pad. "Go. As soon as the cargo is aboard, let me know."
Go replied, "Yes, Sir!"
I turned back to the sergeant who was in charge of the guard watching the Captain and his crew. "Sergeant, I believe we have several spare quarters set aside for dignitaries. Please escort the Captain's crew there. And see to it they have any food or drink we can offer."
I turned back to the Captain. "Care to join me on the bridge? I have a few more questions I would like to ask."
The Captain shook his head. "If it's all the same to you I would just as soon stay with my crew. We've been through a lot together and I'm not comfortable being separated from them."
Go came back over the comm. "The alien ship is aboard. Should we continue on our prior heading?"
I thought for a moment. "No. Can you target the other generators on that destroyer?"
Go replied, "I can. They are in lockdown. Do you want to destroy the rest of that ship?"
I nodded. "Yes. Take us to a safe distance and make sure there is nothing left but small parts when you are done. Tell the Major to have several ships join in for target practice."
The Captain stood. "That's my ship, an Alliance warship! The Dauntless ! What are you doing?"
I held up my hand as I stood. "Your ship is finished, Captain. My crew needs the practice, and we don't want anyone coming after us for the alien ship we just took."
The Captain plopped back in his chair. "You don't have to worry about anyone looking for it. We're the only ones who know it's on there ... was on there."
I gestured towards the door. "Why don't you all join me on the bridge. That destroyer is good for nothing but salvage now."
Jack Carson replied, "You're going to make me watch the destruction of my own ship?"
I smiled. "Think of it as having
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