The Deserter Read online

“This is the William Tell Davis, I claim this Barkun’s ship and the Kernel that inhabits it by the Right of Conquest!”

  I saw nothing, but after a few long seconds I heard a voice say to me “You are an Earthling, you have no rights within the Confederation.”

  “I am not a citizen of Earth, I claim no protected status. I fought and defeated your Captain in single combat. Do you deny the law?”

  With that, ripples formed on the surface of the small fishing lake and a ship rose from the surface and uncloaked.

  The Barkun ship was nearly identical to the grey’s saucer; they were sleek and wide in the center, rounded toward the tops and bottom. It was a deep black, which was different from the grey appearance of the Sangren ship. It was not shiny so much as the deep black gave the appearance of nothingness. The ship was the same size; about 20 meters round and 8 or so meters tall in the center most area of the ship.

  After the ship rose from the water it rotated so the hatch pointed toward me. The hatch opened, and a light beamed from an emitter at the back of the ship. The beam had a concrete feel, which sounds impossible. However, as it centered on the dead Barkun it lifted the body a few feet off the ground and held it for a few seconds. Then, without warning, the light disappeared. The corpse fell to the shore with a wet smack. A smaller beam shined on the body and totally immolated it into ash.

  “I knew Agamemnon died violently. His visual cortex verified you conquered him in single combat. You are my Captain. Your tenure will not be long as the Barkun Corrective Ship will arrive in approximately 27 minutes to execute sentence.”

  I am just a simple Combat Engineer Sergeant. However, I have always had an interest some interest in technology so I have taken a few programming classes. That skill, along with the few hints I received on the inflexibility of the artificial intelligence gave me the workings of an idea.

  Seeing no other option, I ran into the open hatch and began querying the ship.

  “Ship, using Earth units of measurement, display a countdown showing the time until the Barkun ship arrives.”

  A countdown appeared on the bare wall to my left it said 26 minutes 12 seconds. I see a glimmer of hope.

  “Ship, do you have knowledge of the entire Confederation legal code? If so, Can you translate it and display it in the written form of American English Language”

  “Yes”

  “What is the word count of the legal code translated in English?”

  “5,489,031,744 words”

  “Can you refine the information using a search query?”

  “Yes”

  “Query the Confederation code for items addressing protected planet sterilization and tell me how many words using the predefined definition of 5 characters making a word unit”

  “42”

  “Please display the queried text”

  The “front” wall of the ship darkened to display the following words:

  When a protected planet is found guilty it shall immediately become sterilized. 75% of the sterilized mass becomes the immediate property of the species that executes the sentence. The remaining 25% of mass is brought to the Kernel of Sentience as tax.

  “Ship, does the Confederation law specifically recognize a difference between the actions of a planet and an individual whose species in native to the planet?”

  “Yes”

  “How many words are in that legal definition?”

  “42”

  “Please display the Confederation law defining the difference”

  Actions of an individual within a species native to a planet are attributed to the planet as a whole due to culture. If the individual action is punishable by death and the culture is well disciplined, the individual shall have sole responsibility.

  “During your time on Earth did do you monitor and record transmissions and interactions on the planet?”

  “Yes”

  “Do you have the capability to monitor and record internet and intranet data?”

  “Yes, I am able to access all of data stored by the primates of Earth.”

  Ignoring being called a primate, I continue “Ship, Are you familiar with article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice?”

  “Yes”

  “Is it a crime for an active duty member of the US armed forces to leave without permission, and if the offense was committed in order to avoid hazardous duty in a time of war is the punishment death?”

  “Yes, if it was committed in a time of war”

  “Ship, does the US Military award servicemen the National Defense Medal for service in time of war? If so, is this award currently being given to all members enlisting into the US Military?”

  “Yes, Captain, on both accounts.”

  Ship can you determine if I am a member of the United Military”

  “Yes”

  “Do you have records that indicated that I have received notice that I will be deployed to an active war zone, specifically Afghanistan?”

  “Yes”

  “Ship, I demand to communicate with the Barkun Emperor so I can confess to conquering the Barkun Agamemnon in single combat as an individual attempting to dessert the United States military in order to shirk hazardous wartime duty. Furthermore, I committed this crime in order to leave Earth to avoid execution and have renounced all citizenship and ties to the planet Earth and its native species to avoid that death penalty.

  4

  The display shows 20 minutes until the Earth is destroyed for its mass as a wall shimmers and is replaced by the image of a massive Barkun sitting on a throne.

  “Stand before me Earthling, A Kernel informed me of your confession and your attempt to subvert the lawful punishment of your planet.”

  “Are you the Barkun Emperor?”

  “Human, I am the Captain of the Punishment ship that will claim Earth, as such I am the authorized representative of the Emperor. You may claim the right to speak with him, but transmission to the Barkun Throne world will take 27 Earth days. Exercising that right will not delay my execution of sentence.”

  Well, I guess I will have to speak with the help.

  “Very well, I am not an Earthling, I am a Deserter from an Earth military force, and it is you that are attempting to subvert the law. If my ship has informed you of the facts then even one such as you must understand that I committed the crime as an individual. My desertion and the acts committed in support of that crime are punishable by death on my planet.

  Even a simple Barkun such as you must have heard of the military force known as the United States Marine Corps. It is indisputable that no one in the Galaxy is held to a higher standard of lawful culture and discipline.

  Before the alien could respond I ordered the ship to mute the conversation.

  “Ship, can the Barkun hear what I am saying?”

  “No”

  “Does Confederation law allows appeals to the decision of the Barkun” I had a feeling my argument was falling on deaf ears.

  “Yes, as a Kernel of Sentience, I may overrule the Barkun and pronounce individual or collective guilt”

  “Do you believe I acted as an individual?”

  “Upon my recall of the visual and audio memories of both Agamemnon and yourself, as well as the evidence presented, I do.”

  “Does the punishment have to be death?”

  “Yes, it is the only punishment in the Confederation code.”

  Crap! I need a loophole. “Ship, display the Confederation law concerning how punishment is carried out.”

  The Barkun Emperor is the final authority for the sentencing of convicted law violators. The Barkun species role is to be the sole executor of sentence. To this end, the Barkun Species has the right to traverse Confederation space to execute sentence.

  “Ship, if the Emperor sentences me to death, the Barkun must enforce the sentence correct?”

  “Correct”

  “If the Barkun species has the role to be the sole executor of the sentence, then other species and individuals do no
t have to help them, is this correct?”

  “Yes”

  “Furthermore, since the law says they are sole executioner, and we all must follow the law, you cannot help them execute me. Is this correct”

  “That argument is valid. However, attempting to subvert a lawful judgment would greatly anger the Barkun Emperor.”

  “I would surely hate to anger someone trying to kill me. Ship, unmute the conversation”

  The display said 5 minutes to annihilation and as the volume was restored, it seemed like the lizard boss had never stopped talking and that he was very angry with me.

  “Hey rat snake, I’m back, could you repeat all that, I am a little hard of hearing.”

  That shut him up. The Lizard eyes blinked and refocused directly at me. A forked tongue flicked out and at the corners of his mouth the hint of an evil smile appeared.

  “Human, your actions have doomed your planet. I find it guilty and sentence it to sterilization. “

  “Ship, I appeal his judgment on behalf my former planet. It was my actions as an individual that committed the crime and therefore I and demand my right to accept his sentence as mine to suffer alone.”

  “Based on the evidence, the actions of the individual William Tell Davis have violated Confederation Law. The sentence shall be executed on the individual.” The Ship said emotionlessly.

  An angry hiss escaped the lizard, and I swear I could see some disappointment for a moment. The disappointment vanished as the Barkun looked directly at me and said

  “Human, you may have saved your planet, but you will not be painlessly sterilized. I will take great enjoyment of ripping your flesh from your body and ingesting you piece by piece over a number of your years.”

  “Nae Nae Lizard Lips, you have to catch me first!”

  “Ship, end communication with the Barkun”

  The wall display faded and returned to appear as a blank bulkhead. “How fast can this thing go?”

  “In a solar system this ship can travel up to .5c however, if we move beyond the influence of the gravity of a star or other planetary body we can jump to hyperspace and move faster than light.”

  I haven’t been in this much trouble since I got caught in the barracks with the Colonel’s daughter and I am well outside of my comfort zone.

  “Ship, I am not a scientist, move us as fast as you can to the nearest location to jump to hyperspace. Display the time to that a safe hyperspace location next to that please the display a countdown to the Barkun estimated time of arrival.”

  Time to Arrival showed 0, Time to jump showed 4 minutes.

  “Ship, why does the timer show 0 minutes until Barkun arrival?”

  “The Barkun patrol this Solar system. The Punishment ship is 2 minutes from Earth.”

  “Do you know where it is?”

  “It is cloaked so I do not have an exact location of the punishment ship”

  I don’t have time for this. I am just going to focus on escape and not finding the ship. “Ship, can we converse while you are navigating?”

  “Yes, I am capable of accomplishing many tasks simultaneously.”

  “If the Barkun catch up to us, will they shoot at us, and will they likely destroy you in order to execute me?”

  “Destroying this ship is the most likely response. You have greatly angered the Barkun, however, for many reasons a quick punishment is desired.”

  “I do not need to understand the science behind hyperspace right now, but what are the practical limits to a jump?”

  ”From a position at a LaGrange point we can quickly jump to a known position in less than 15 seconds if the hyperspace engine is fully charged.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes, I charged when I surmised you were going to become a fugitive from justice.”

  “Ship, if we survive this, I think we are going to be great friends. From the LaGrange point how many known positions do you have that will take us away from the Barkun.”

  “Three”

  “How quick can we make jumps after the first one?”

  “After the first jump, we can make a second within 6.48 earth minutes” a third jump after 42 additional minutes recharging, and then we cannot make another jump for 7 hours.”

  “Ship display all know destinations headed away from the Barkun after making 3 jumps in a row to known positions.”

  Captain, there are 24 destinations within the parameters given.

  “Are any locations near a second LaGrange point?”

  “Define near”

  I forgot I was taking to a computer. “Ship, show the three final destinations nearest to an asteroid, comet, or planet we could hide on.”

  Upon looking at the display, two destinations were near planets, another has a nearby asteroid field. The farthest location shown was a planet designated A0467.

  “Ship, make three jumps as quickly as possible to bring us to planet A0467. Maybe we can buy some time to hide.”

  Our escape plan being made; now I have to figure out how to survive to that first jump. I hope the Barkun don’t have ships near this Lagrange point, or whatever the heck we are running toward. On the bright side, they only have 2 minutes to try to stop me. Unfortunately, anyone who has ever been in a fight knows just how long 2 minutes can be.

  5

  “Ship, if we cloak will the Barkun be able to see us?”

  “With our energy output at maximum speed we are unable to cloak

  Is there a speed we can travel at that will allow us to remain cloaked until we transit to hyperspace?”

  “With a reduced speed we can cloak, but the based on Barkun technology, I calculate a 92.3% chance we will be discovered before transit.”

  “Do you have any type of shields?”

  “Yes, we I am equipped with standard enforcer shields.”

  “I don’t know if that’s good or bad compared to the weapons the Barkun are bringing to the party. How long do you estimate we can last with full shields against the ship or ships coming for us?”

  “Human, they are not coming for us. They are coming for you.”

  “Dammit, We don’t have time for this, they can’t get me without you. At full shields against the Barkun coming will we last long enough to jump to hyperspace and survive?”

  “There is a 85% chance our shields will protect us until we can transit. There will be some damage to the shield emitters, however.”

  “Great. Now second question, do we have weapons? Can we use any while we are at full shields?”

  “There are several weapons at your disposal, but only one type can be used while we are fully shielded that is the ion cannon. There are two such cannons, one each midpoint at the dorsal and ventral sides of the ship. You can target them from here or you can manually control them at the cannons themselves.”

  “Ship, set the shields to their maximum setting, display the aiming points for the two cannons, and tell me how to aim and fire them. Also, if you have any nitrous oxide, goose the engines cause I feel the need, the need for speed!”

  The ship notified me that while the on-board replicator could produce nitrous oxide, it also it warned that its introduction into the propulsion system would catastrophic hull breech. While I was being educated, a seat and two joysticks were created out of nanites. In less stressful times, I believe I would have been amazed to watch them appear as they seemed to rise out of the floor.

  Without warning a huge ship uncloaked directly in front of the ship. It was hard to tell in space without much in the way of reference points, but I would say it was at least four times the size of the USS George H. W. Bush, which was the last and largest US aircraft carrier ever constructed.

  “Ship, why did you not tell me the Barkun would appear in front of us.”

  “You did not ask, However, it is obvious that they would station ships at the LaGrange points.”

  “Ship, if we get out of this please remind me to have you explain what a LaGrange point is.”

  “A LaGrange poin
t is a location in space where….”

  “NOT NOW!” I interrupted.

  I noticed I had two joysticks each with a set of buttons. Each was very similar to what you would see on a fighter plane in a movie. I grabbed each and saw that the one on my left controlled one aiming point, and the stick on my right aimed the other. The aiming points of the two cannons were superimposed on the display in front of me.

  “Ship which cannon goes with which control?”

  “The right controls the dorsal, the left controls the ventral”

  I had forgotten high school biology. I vaguely remembered that dorsal and ventral meant back and belly, but I could not recall which was which.

  “Ship color the aiming point for the left handed control yellow and the right control’s aiming point red.” I may not know which cannon went with what scientific term, but I damn sure would know which hand controlled an aiming point.

  I couldn’t quite get used to aiming both guns with different hands, but I was able to make some progress. Just like Dad used to say when we were shooting. “Front Sight, Squeeze”

  Whenever an aiming point landed on the ship I squeezed the trigger. I was a total novice. I felt as out of my depth as a new boot recruit showing up to the Fleet Marine Force and told to find an ID 10 T form. All I knew is that I had to survive. My new mission was to figure out how to protect earth from a rigged game even if I was officially a labeled a Deserter.

  We were engaged in the craziest game of chicken ever played. I was in a go-cart charging at a tank. They were not going to stop coming at me and I could not blink.

  “Ship, fly as close to the top of the ship as possible, I would assume the closer we are the harder we are to shoot at.”

  I also had a hunch that as a planet sterilizer, it would have more guns on the bottom to shoot down that it would have on the top to shoot up.

  We skimmed the Barkun punishment ship as I fired at every bump that looked like it held a gun. I am sad to say they hit us more than I hit them. I ended up just holding the trigger down on the left hand gun and only aimed with my right.

  Their last couple hits came as we traversed the ship and dropped down behind it. Their stern guns must have been stronger because after those hits to our tail the lights dimmed inside the ship, I started hearing alarms, and I started smelling ozone from burnt electrical connections.