. .

  Three humans, a catperson, and a Vendalfi sat in a circle around a marble compass rose. The circle was surrounded by white marble columns, and the humans sat in egg-shaped chairs.

  There was a foggy rain outside as the moisture mixed with the Tarken Tea smoke. Inside of Confederate buildings and on their ships, there was always smoke in the atmosphere. Two lamps shone in the dim light. The building was designed to be lit by natural light.

  The Venalfi diplomat spoke first after the group was fully assembled. “The Fed situation is spiraling out of control. Their Navy has lost multiple significant battles it should have won. A weaker foe has turned back their invasion. Their military lost the biggest battle yet. Hell, recently, they outnumbered the Confederacy five to one, had them encircled, and had fighter superiority. Spirits sake, they had an opportunity to capture a duke. There are mass executions every day, which has led to a loss of confidence in the current junta. We cannot support the Feds at the current time and will be declaring neutrality.”

  One of the humans spoke. He was an ambassador for the Commonwealth. “We have a commitment to remain neutral in this war. However, we will tell the Merchant Guild not to supply war material to the Federation. We will leave what war material is to interpretation.” The diplomat smiled and everyone snickered. “We will also expand trade with the Confederacy and protect neutral worlds.”

  The cat person spoke. “The Caligori Imperium’ll be p-pulling sup-p-port fer the Feds. What a-about you, Counselor Talnori?”

  Counselor Talnori said in a harsh, raspy, voice typical of a smoker. He shifted in his seat and crossed his legs. “We’ve already declared one hundred percent neutrality and want no part in this conflict. We would support the Federation but they’ve gone too far.”

  A third human spoke after leaning forward in his seat and crossing his hands. “The Zolo Empire is in the process of closing our embassy in the Federation capital. We have just opened one in Saffron and are staffing it now. The Confederation is the new superpower and we want in.” The other diplomats nodded in agreement.

  A human to the right shifted in her seat. “Let the Feds burn.”

  All seven of them were silent when the Commonwealth diplomat said, “My people have a prayer for times like this, ‘May the spirits help guide our the leader and may the new leader be better than the last’.”

  “Meeting adjourned,” said a footman after one of the diplomats gave the signal. A gong sounded, and everyone rose from their seats.

  The gong echoed through the room as they exited one by one.

  During the following hours, the Big 7 watched as footage of the Federation’s retreat from Sector 22 spread throughout the galaxy. Without their strongest allies, the loss of a quarter of their navy, and the endless purges, the Feds were finished. Now a new galactic order would begin with the Confederacy at the helm. Would it be better? Hopefully. For the first time in a long time, hope filled the air.

  Brinus was at the computer console and looked at some graphs projected out in front of him. Radon-44 Gas leaked out of the primary valve and filled up the glass dome surrounding the reactor. The dome had microfractures from the electrocution incident and would need an overhaul.

  A moment ago, he called a meeting of the shift supervisors. He was about to make a judgment call without them. Mikitia showed up in pajamas, and Marchella was in a radiation suit. They saluted Brinus. Brinus nodded.

  “Petty officers.” Brinus nodded in acknowledgment. “The microfractures in the plexiglass dome are causin’ a crack, which is disruptin’ magnetic cohesion in the fusion reaction chamber. Without magnetic cohesion, it’ll flood the entire ship with Radon-44 gas in twelve hours, which will kill everyone on board, so I made a judgment call and set a course for Exon Station in the next system over. It’s run by the Vendalfi, so it’s a neutral station. I want y’all to draw up repair schedules fer your shifts. That’s an order. Dismissed.”

  Within a few minutes, Commander Toz was at the engineering bay.

  He yelled in his face in front of the crew. “You’re just a midshipman who hasn’t even completed his first semester at the naval academy yet. If you want to make a call like this in the future you go through me understood!?”

  Brinus stood at attention but had his screw-you smile on his face.

  Commander Toz snapped and began screaming in Brinus’s face, “Stinkball, do not smirk at me! You will inform me when you make emergency course corrections in the future! Do you fucking Understand me, Stinkball?!”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” Brinus saluted.

  “Dismissed!”

  Brinus turned and left. He needed to get ready for the arrival and didn’t have time for an ego-tripping commanding officer.

  At the air-lock, the chief of operations and a security officer greeted them. Brinus and the commander came into the space ring.

  All of the men shook hands, and then Brinus handed the repair schedule to the chief of operations.

  Just then, a security officer put Brinus in handcuffs.

  “What the fuck?!” Brinus was caught off guard.

  The security officer spoke in an assertive voice. “You are under arrest for the burglary of quarters two-A. Come with me.”

  As Brinus was put into the cuffs, he began screaming, “I have never been on this here fucking station! What the fuck are you talking about?” Brinus was shocked.

  “I don’t care how many facts you have. It is just your opinion,” Yelled the security officer as he dragged Brinus down the hall.

  Captain Toz rolled his eyes and went back onto the ship. He would have to call Brinus’s mom. Brinus was dragged into the brig and locked into a cell. Brinus, however, lay on the bench.

  He then said, after looking the security officer in the eyes, “What is this really about? You didn’t read me my rights, process me, interrogate me, or strip-search me. And I’ve never been on this here station before.”

  He laughed and then said, getting up to the plasma bars. “I know you’re going to be released in a couple of hours. The Federation will have you by then. Think! The Feds capture the Duke of District Twelve, haha! They will win this war, and are paying me well for you! I can finally retire to that beach-side estate.”

  Brinus sneered and made a screw-you smile. “Ever wondered why I was only caught once?”

  The security officer laughed and went into Brinus’s face. “Because you were an idiot, haha.”

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  Brinus walked up to the plasma field and then saw the emitter. Plasma emitters were designed to burn flesh by running at 1800 degrees Celsius. He had never gotten a burn before, so he decided to take a chance. He then walked through the plasma bars. The lights on the brig short-circuited popped.

  Brinus screamed and lunged out of the cell, “Because I wanted out.”

  The officer was caught off guard and yelled “What the hell!? What are you?!”

  He drew His pistol and tried shooting Brinus with stun rounds. However, Brinus did a series of forward rolls and then performed a technical stand-up. Going behind the man, and then put one arm around his neck and his hand on the back of his head.

  The officer was dead in one and a half minutes. Brinus looked and saw the booking sergeant holding the arm of a man in an orange jumpsuit. The room was dark but the emergency lights lit just enough to see everything.

  The officer said, looking worried, “Me and the prisoner will take care of the body. I saw the whole thing on video, which I deleted. If this gets out, our status as a neutral port will be terminated. Go.”

  He regained composure and walked over to where the ship was located. The commander was on the triquarter with his mother.

  He heard a screeching woman on a TriQuarter, “Why was he arrested? I want to speak to him NOW!

  “Oh wait, here he is.” Captain Toz was glad to be off the phone with Marci.

  Brinus clenched his teeth, and his right hand balled up into a fist after his commander handed him the comms device. “I did not rob that spaceport, Marci,” he growled, barely containing his irritation.

  Before he could say anything else, the call terminated.

  He let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair; looking at Captain Toz, and muttered, “Spirits, I wish I could have Simmie right now.”

  The commander patted Brinus on the back as he handed him his triquarter. Captain Toz said in a gentle voice, “You must love Simmie. I've seen pictures of him you downloaded from social media in your office. I can tell by the look in your eyes. Take the afternoon shift off. Be back by the dinner bell. You must be deader than a rampig.”

  A rampig was similar to a sloth. When sleeping, they entered into a state similar to clinical death. They lived on the forest moons surrounding Otis Datis.

  Brinus smiled and went back to his quarters.

  Eight hours later, Brinus was at a bar with ornate oak wood paneling, bar stools all across the front, and bar chairs at tables around the room. The bar extended was the size of a large single-family house. The actual bar had mirror paneling inside the eight-block paneling. The floors were stained wood and looked hundreds of years old. Behind the Counter was a short green alien with toad-like ears. Brinus took another shot of drink as two Federation Crewmen and a petty officer were eying him like a piece of meat ready to be eaten.

  The bartender spoke to Brinus as he sat at the bar. “You wanna talk about it?”

  Brinus looked at his bartender as he handed him a double whisky. “I just killed someone an’ don’t even feel anythin’. In fact, I wonna go into battle again.”

  He shrugged and began picking up glasses. “I know there was a big battle five systems from here. We have been getting a lot of naval personnel from both sides over the last few days. Are you saying you want to go back to battle?”

  Brinus checked himself before talking about the murder he committed. He said, “Yes, sir. I want the adrenaline. I don’t miss the syndicate but I want some action. I know I felt after they killed my first boyfriend, but I want the rush of combat.”

  The bartender looked revolted and poured Brinus another drink. “If you enjoy killing, maybe you should see a therapist.”

  Brinus took a shot of whisky. “I wouldn’t say I enjoy the act of killin’. Hell, I don’t even think anyone enjoys killin’ unless there’s somethin’ wrong with them.”

  The bartender put a computer chip on the bar and smiled. “You’re what? Nineteen? Twenty? You have to have been a pirate from the age of eight or nine to have that reaction to battle. This program might fill your needs, and it automatically comes with safety protocols disabled. If you want war, this program, ‘The Battle of Teloni 5,’ would be perfect for you. Like I said, the safety protocols are disabled, and you must agree to a TOS and sign a waiver.”

  Brinus put a twenty-credit chip on the bar and came up from his stool. “I have to be on duty after the Dinner bell. I don’t think my commander would like it if I got injured in a battle sim.” He laughed nervously.

  The bartender smiled and started wiping Brinus’s shot glass. “Not the real thing, is it?”

  Brinus put a five-credit chip on the table. “Battle sims are never as good as the real thing. Here is a tip for the service and the conversation.”

  The conversation in the bar began to pick up. People started paying attention to the news on the TV.

  Someone in the bar shouted as soon as a vendalfi in a suit and tie stepped up, “Hey! turn up that TV! What is that guy saying?”

  A waiter reached for his remote control and turned up the holovision as the bar became silent.

  A Vendafli diplomat stood at a podium in front of a microphone. “...furthermore, these are the reasons why the Vendalfi Federation is officially declaring its military neutrality and will also be expanding trade relations with the Confederacy. The Federation has suffered over a dozen defeats it should have won. Due to disorganization and poor recruiting. The Junta, which has taken over from the elected democracy, put in power by the people, is purging disloyal elements in the most brutal and public fashion possible. Mass executions of innocents because of social media posts from 10 or even 20 years ago are unacceptable in our eyes. Purges have also targeted groups they deemed undesirable for extermination. Third, the Federation of today is no longer the Federation we remember. The last 20 years have seen a radicalization of the population and an ultimate takeover of radical elements. Thank you, that is all.” A flurry of camera flashes and questions followed as the press agent walked off of the stage.

  Brinus took a swig from a drink on a random table and walked out of the bar. The Federation just lost the war. Brinus realized at this point that it was a waiting game. The Confederacy would need to inflict enough damage on them to force them to surrender, or they would collapse.

  Brinus grabbed a half-empty glass from a nearby table, draining it in one giant gulp as he walked to the entrance. The news replayed in his mind: the Federation's defeat was now certain. It was only a matter of time before the Confederacy delivered the death nail.

  The four enemy soldiers sitting at the table in the bar came up to Brinus with the petty officer offering a hand for him to shake. "We wish to surrender. Take us to your captain."

  A few minutes later, Brinus walked down the hall with his prisoners. They were outside the frigate’s star dock, which was big enough to hold a small ship that was wide as two football fields and 16 decks tall. The star dock had sandy floors, and the ship’s landing gear was engaged. The frigate was cigar-shaped with three thrusters in the back.

  “What’s life like in the federation?” Brinus asked as he approached the cargo bay of the frigate.

  The petty officer shrugged. “It is awful; millions in the military are starving. There’s been a breakdown in supply chains in the Navy because of the supply shortages. We’re defecting because we haven’t eaten in three days.”

  “Y’all defectin’ fer a hot meal?”

  The four men nodded.

  One of the men said, “Our officers eat big while we starve. I’m fed up. If the war is lost and I don’t want to die for this organization.”

  Brinus nodded and then clucked his tongue. “Wait out here while I talk with my captain.”

  Brinus went into the airlock and then onto the ship. A few minutes later, Commander Toz came out with Brinus. “Hello! Welcome to the Confederacy. You will have to excuse the state of our ship. We’re getting battle damage repaired.”

  Brinus and Commander Toz sat the four men down in the mess hall. Four replicated hot meals designed by the ship’s doctor for chronic starvation sat on the table.

  Commander Toz asked in a calm voice, “I was wondering if you could tell me your job in the enemy navy? What are your names and ranks?”

  “I’m squad leader Saul. You're an equivalent to a petty officer 3rd class. these are my men. They’re all crewmen. We’re from the ship it’s a star destroyer of about 800 men and women. we’re with the repair crew.”

  Commander Toz Dismissed Brinus with a hand wave as the interrogation went underway.

  Twenty minutes later, the four men were taken to the brig and Brinus was called to Command Toz’s office. The office was plain and had bare wooden walls painted white. The desk was made of oak and two chairs in neo-imperial style sat in front of it. The wood floor was polished and had a Persian-style rug in the center of the room. On his desk was a computer terminal and an ashtray with five cigarette butts of a different brand than what Brinus smoked. The office had a slight stale haze.

  He leaned back in his office chair and sighed. “What happened?”

  “Sir?”

  “You were arrested on trumped-up charges and released. I heard on the radio three hours later they found the body of a security officer in the incinerator with your DNA on it. The chief security is refusing to talk about it. He was ordered to bring you in for questioning and told the Station’s DA to get lost. Never, in my life, has a cop refused to enforce the law without a reason. The interesting thing was the backup copy of the video they found.”

  “Sir...”

  Commander Toz held up his hand and made a shushing sound. “Before you lie, you better have a damn good reason for murdering that officer.”

  “Yes sir. They tried to kidnap me and turn me over to the Federation.”

  “Thank you, Midshipman. Dismissed.”

  “Yes, Sir!”

  Brinus saluted and left.