The days flowed into weeks and the weeks became a month. The Solent crew and their two new fighters both embraced the normalcy of a daily schedule and felt the anxiety boiling inside of them. Dottir was lost, that much was for sure, and the Sharlah were probably smoking the remaining resistance from their holes. Connor thought about the camp where he had last seen Laura and the people jammed inside like cattle. He wondered what the next step of the operation would be as he sat down across from Ash in the galley.
“Connor, how are you?” Ash asked.
Connor was staring at the wall behind him without realizing it. “Oh sorry, I was just thinking.”
Ash nodded knowingly. “I get like that sometimes too. What were you thinking about?”
“I was just wondering what the Sharlah were going to do once they had completely taken over. Whatever it is, it’s probably happening right now.”
“Apparently what they do is divide up the planet in question into districts where the operation is controlled by it’s own chain of command. Each district has it’s citizens rounded up and tagged with a micro chip, and when it district is completely under their control, they will release them back to their homes and usually their jobs. They take the sick and the old first and.. Well.. They eat them. If it’s done responsibly, they have a reproducing food source.” Ash said and set his fork down, his breakfast only half eaten.
“How do you know this?” Connor asked, still working on his.
“While you all have been learning how to fight and fly like a pirate, I’ve been spending my days with Captain Volkov and some of her more intellectual staff, and Charlie of course. We’ve been able to call in some favors and learn a little bit about the Sharlah.”
“How do we beat them?” Connor asked.
“Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be an easy answer to that one. We’re not far from Dottir now and there are scouts already in the system getting intel on their fleet size and weaponry. Volkov is committed to this. They have just as much interest in saving Dottir as we do.”
“So we’re doing it? We’re going to attack them?” Connor asked.
“It depends on what the scouts find but yeah Connor, get yourself ready. It won’t be long now.” Ash said and scooted back from the table to stand up but Connor reached out for his arm.
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“Wait… Ash. I need to talk to you.” Connor said and his heart rate shot through the roof.
Ash looked down at his arm and then at the look on Connor’s face before slowly sliding back into his seat.
“I.. I don’t know how to say this but I need to, I might not survive this. It’s about Laura. It’s eating me up inside.” Connor choked out.
Ash looked into his eyes and the warmth that was there before had been replaced with tension. “What is it Connor, tell me.”
Connor’s mind reeled as he went back to that night on the hill that overlooked the church camp. The Sharlah beating her and demanding that she give him up when she didn’t even know where he was. Her brains painting the door of the church red. His new friends being ripped apart in the truck after it had crashed through the fence. Connor rocketed out of his seat and looked for the exit but Ash grabbed him this time and held on to his jacket.
“NO! NO! I CAN’T!” Connor screamed and tried to pull away but he tripped over his chair and they both went to the ground.
“What happened to my girl Connor!” Ash growled and forced Connor to stop struggling and look him in the eye.
“I SHOT HER! I KILLED HER!” Connor screamed and started kicking his legs to get away.
Ash’s eyes went wide and filled with ice. “You what?” He hissed.
“I KILLED HER ASH! I couldn’t save her so I killed her!”
Rage and confusion took turns urging different reactions. Ash grabbed him by the throat and started to squeeze. “Explain.”
A crowd was forming around them but nobody intervened. These were not military officers. They would allow it to play out naturally and maybe even take bets on the outcome.
“Ash I’m so sorry.” Connor cried. “The Sharlah had her. I tracked them down but she was already in one of their camps that you talked about. One of them was dragging her away and I was afraid I would never find her again. I shot her so they couldn’t have her.”
Ash sobbed and he let go of the young man’s neck. “I’m sorry too. I understand Connor. I forgive you.”
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Ash stormed onto the bridge where Volkov stood over her various instruments. She looked up with a warm smile that quickly faded away as she read his body language.
"I want them dead. Gone." Ash said as he reached her. "What have we learned?"
"Well, we know that it is only one war fleet but that still means we are facing over one hundred enemy ships along with their light fighter crafts and logistics ships. It looks like many of their ships have been stolen from other species, like our own. They don't seem to have much in the way of energy shields so that is an advantage to us, but they do have some with hyperspace missiles."
"What are those?" Ash asked.
"They are missiles that launch into a hyperspace portal and then reappear in real space just before impact. They are deadly and those ships must be dealt with quickly if we are to survive the rest of the battle."
"Do you have a plan to do that?"
"We are still gathering intel, but right now this looks like a pretty even fight. We also have hyperspace missiles that we've taken from Callidus warships. We will lose a lot of people but they are willing to die to bring an end to our suffering."
Ash nodded and locked eyes with her. "Your people are our people and we are already dying. We can't back down now."